Book Three: Love
by Calypso in Love
Summary: With Hermione falling ill and Draco dealing with his own problems, things don't look too bright for our heroes. Add in an evil villain, a psycho father and things are looking downright hopeless! Will things work out? Third in a trilogy.
1. Heavy Snow

Love  
  
Chapter 1 [Heavy Snow]  
  
There was a heavy snowfall that year. The snow piled up and piled up until it reached the second story windows of the Burrow. Charlie, Bill, Percy, Fred and George weren't coming home for Christmas, they were either too far away, had families of their own, or were busy with work. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley had decided to go to Barbados, and invited Ginny, Ron, Hermione and Ron, but those four had opted for a cozy Christmas in the Burrow together.  
  
"Are you sure you don't want to come? You really need to get out Hermione. You haven't left the house since you got here," Harry begged.  
  
"Yes Hermione, really! You really should come, it'll be loads of fun!" Ginny supplicated. Ron put on his puppy face to show his support.  
  
"Guys, I just don't feel like it, ok? I'm just… tired. Please, leave me alone!" Hermione said a little harshly, putting her head in her hands and staring at the table. They were all sitting around the kitchen table in the Burrow, and Harry, Ron and Ginny were planning to go out dancing.  
  
"But…" said Ginny.  
  
"NO! I'm not going!" Hermione snapped, and the other three sighed.  
  
"Bye," They said in turn, walking out the door. Hermione didn't reply. She watched them from the window until they had gone, and then she had a shot of strong rum. And another. And another.  
  
  
  
"God, it's three o'clock! We stayed out late! I hope Hermione didn't wait up! Poor thing!" Ginny said cheerily and groggily as they made their way up to the red Burrow door through the snow.  
  
"What's that sound?" Ron asked, and they all stopped and listened. A faint humming could be heard in the distance. Ginny scrambled up onto a snowbank and looked in the direction it was coming from.  
  
"Oh Jesus Christ…" She whispered, paling as she pointed weakly toward something. Harry and Ron climbed up and looked out. They immediately began running, with Ginny flailing along behind them uselessly, sobbing hysterically and crying, "Hermione! Hermione!" Again and again.  
  
Hermione lay in a snow bank, having stripped off her shirt and wearing only her bra and jeans, making snow angels, shaking, humming softly to herself. She looked like a little blue angel, blue skin, blue lips, blue bra, blue jeans. Pale and fragile, insane. Ginny flung herself down next to her, still sobbing and trying to pull her out of the snow bank, saying "Hermione! Hermione!" hysterically. Harry and Ron helped her and soon they had Hermione standing between them, and got her inside.  
  
They sat her down, she simply stared at the wall, humming. Ron wrapped a blanket around her and they forced some soup through her purple lips. She was shaking badly. Her feet were bare and Harry rubbed them while Ron rubbed her arms. Ginny stood to the side, hyperventilating slightly in the last hiccuping stage of her crying. She hugged Hermione over and over until finally Hermione attempted to push her away with weak arms.  
  
"Nothing wrong," she said, smiling wanly. Ginny burst into a new bout of crying, still hugging her friend.  
  
"Why did you do that?!" Ron demanded, getting slightly angry once his fear had slightly faded. Hermione was back to staring at the wall and Ron shook her slightly. "Why did you DO THAT?!" He demanded again, his eyes brimming with tears.  
  
"Was hot. Too hot in here," Hermione said, her head tilting as she started to lose consciousness.  
  
Harry caught her before she fell off the chair, righting her and putting his hand under her chin, forcing her to look up. Her three best friends, looking distraught, filled Hermione's vision and she swallowed, then blinked a few times, staring at them staring back. And then she burst out crying. Loud, wrenching sobs that shook her freezing body. The hot tears felt alien on her cool cheeks and she wiped at them furiously as she banged the table in frustration, wailing. She barely noticed when Ginny wrapped her arms around her and supported her as they walked into her bedroom, then sat down on the bed.  
  
The door closed behind them.  
  
Harry and Ron stood outside the door. They could hear Ginny whispering words of encouragement and soothing Hermione, who was absolutely hysterical. Apparently Ginny was trying to get her into pajamas. Eventually they heard Ginny whisper,  
  
"Now tell me, love, what's wrong?" There was a long silence. The only thing heard was Hermione's irregular breathing. Harry and Ron unconsciously leaned closer to the door to catch Hermione's weak statement, one tiny word that was ripping her apart.  
  
"Draco…" She said reverently, and it sounded like desperation and hate and love all wrapped up into one, but mostly like a plea… then she broke into her sobbing again.  
  
Harry and Ron looked at each other. They had never seen Hermione this miserable. She had never been this miserable.  
  
It was 8 o'clock when Ginny came out of the bedroom, looking pale and haggard. Ron and Harry looked up from their coffee, neither had slept last night.  
  
"She stopped crying, but she won't sleep," Ginny informed them, getting a coffee and sitting down.  
  
"What happened? She was fine…" Harry said.  
  
"We thought she was fine. Maybe a bit irritable, but fine. I guess, inside she wasn't. I guess she's still not over him," Ron said.  
  
"People don't 'get over' their soulmates, Ron," Ginny said, staring into her coffee.  
  
"That bastard isn't Hermione's soulmate, goddamnit!" Ron said irritably.  
  
"It's no use pretending he isn't just because you don't like him, Ron. You were fine before they broke up. He's her soulmate, simple as that. Her 'other half', her 'completion', her 'significant other'," Ginny said dryly.  
  
"You watch too many soap operas." Ron said, standing abruptly. "I'm going in to see her,." He added, disappearing into the room. Harry followed him with a grim smile for Ginny.  
  
"Hermione," Ron said, sitting down in the chair that had been pulled up next to the bed. The blankets had been pulled up over her head to keep out the sunlight. Harry closed the door behind himself, then sat down next to Ron.  
  
"What?" Came a mumbled reply. Ron pulled the blankets away from her face and Hermione groaned. The pajama attempt had been unsuccessful, she still wore the blue bra and jeans, her hair was frizzing up around her, she was pale as a ghost and her cheeks showed signs of recent tears. This girl has the tear ducts of never-ending bounty.  
  
"Why do you even care about Draco?" He asked sternly.  
  
"This isn't about Draco, silly," Hermione whispered, laughing slightly at how feeble an attempt it was at fooling Harry and Ron.  
  
"Yes, it is," Ron said, as though he was talking to a small child.  
  
"I'm just…going through the normal stages of a break-up, Ron."  
  
"No, you're not."  
  
"I love him."  
  
"He's not worthy of your love. You put your trust in him and he betrayed it."  
  
"You don't even know what he did! How can you judge?" Hermione demanded, becoming angry.  
  
"He's an asshole! He doesn't deserve the Dementor's Kiss if he does anything to hurt you, and obviously he has!" Ron yelled, and Ginny poked her head through the door, glancing around worriedly.  
  
"It wasn't even fucking him anyway, Ron! It was me! It was all my fucking fault! Not his!"  
  
"You expect me to believe that?"  
  
"Yes, I fucking well do! What else will you believe?"  
  
"I-"  
  
"I love him, so just go away and leave me alone!" Hermione yelled, lying back down and pulling the blankets over her head. Ron ripped them off.  
  
"For God's sake, just tell me why?! I can't come to terms with this until you at least…" Hermione stood up on the bed, bringing herself to eye level with Ron.  
  
"Because I do! I LOVE HIM I LOVE HIM I LOVE HIM! He's perfect! He's excruciatingly perfect, ok? Does that make you happy? That's why I… love him…" Hermione's voice dwindled as she began to cry again.  
  
Ron sighed. "Oh Hermione," He said simply, as he hugged her tightly and she collapsed into his arms. "What are we going to do with you?" He asked, squeezing her as her lowered her into the bed and climbed in with her, cuddling her to him like a big teddy bear. "God only knows. Or maybe Draco." He added, only Harry and Ginny hearing. Draco Malfoy… was he the only thing that would fix their Hermione?  
  
Draco rubbed his gloved hands together and stomped his feet, trying to warm up.  
  
"Mum, what is the point of all this?"  
  
Narcissa spared him a sharp glance.  
  
"I have to bring a gift to Molly."  
  
"You do not!" You hate the Weasleys!"  
  
"Your Father hates the Weasleys. I'm just not… fond of them."  
  
"That's an understatement! Is this some kind of punishment?"  
  
"Maybe it is! I don't know what you did to that sweet girl, but it must have been something bad to make her break it off with you!"  
  
Draco gaped at his Mother. "I can't believe you! Why does everyone assume I did something wrong? I DIDN'T! I didn't do a single thing! She hasn't said one word to me since that night she told me to never touch her again! For no apparent reason! Don't you dare tell me that I've done something wrong when I haven't!" He burst out angrily, the months of frustration finally being released.  
  
He had tried- Oh God he had tried- to talk to Hermione, to get her to explain, to get her to see reason… but she had turned away so many times… she didn't even look at him anymore. The Professors had told him to be patient, that people have suffered from mental abuse or trauma often had such problems, that she'd come around eventually… but she hadn't. Even they were losing hope. He remembered their faces the last time he had tried to talk to her at the staff table… she had stiffly, hands folded in her lap, staring straight ahead, stony faced. They had looked on, dumbstruck, shocked, saddened.  
  
The ones who had sustained torture… McGonagall and Flitwick, seemed chipper, seemed healthy. But the one who had returned home unscathed except for a slightly twisted ankle, looked sick. Hermione was slowly wasting away, getting thinner and thinner, paler and paler. The circles under her eyes steadily grew, her appearance was untidy, her robes hung off her body in a most unnatural way… she had once been petite, with nice healthy curves… now she was thin, emaciated almost, with an angular body. Her demeanor was cold, achingly cordial, dazed, uncaring. The entire school - what was left of it - had noted these changes, and was beginning to worry.  
  
At first the Professors had dismissed it. "It's just her guilt over Draco, she'll be fine once she takes him back…" "It's just her missing Draco" "She must have had some bad experiences". Eventually they had decided to question her.  
  
Draco had been there as well, as the one who prodded them into it.  
  
"Hermione… while you were at Abhinatha Manor, were you in any way abused?" Dumbledore had asked gently, the soft light from fireplace casting an unwilling spotlight on Hermione, who was curled up on a wingback chair, glaring resentfully at them all like they were trying to do her harm.  
  
"No," She said, somehow managing to make that word incomparably venomous.  
  
"Any kind of abuse? Not just physical, but mental, emotional or sexual?" Dumbledore said, slightly stressing sexual. Why else would she turn Draco away? He felt the boy tense next to him as the occupants of the room waited for her to answer. She looked up in shock, and for a second her face looked like a skeleton… bony in the dark light and dead. She had stared at Draco intensely for a moment, before her eyes narrowed hatefully.  
  
"No," She had said slowly, as though it was meant solely for her ex fiancé. She stood, looking pointedly at Albus.  
  
"I'm leaving now, thanks," She said, nodding at each of them before she quietly disappeared out the door. Albus spared a glance at Draco, who looked shaken, and patted him on the shoulder. The boy looked up at him like he'd never seen him before, and was wondering if he were God. Albus smiled gently.  
  
They discussed using Veritaserum, but decided they had no legit reason. She lost a bit of weight, Minister, and she isn't nearly so perky as she was before! And so they let it slip, and let is slip, and let it slip. Or so Draco thought. But Snape, McGonagall and Dumbledore, in their nightly meeting, discussed her at length over their steaming cups of tea.  
  
"It's a spell," Snape had said with conviction one night. The other two gave him questioning looks. "Nothing else could produce such a change in just a month."  
  
"Maybe it was just the last straw. She's been through a lot you know. A little bit of abuse…" McGonagall trailed off.  
  
"She said she didn't suffer any abuse."  
  
"She could be lying. She could feel guilty, or she might not even realise the abuse was so subtle."  
  
"Her back is broken." Snape said quietly, staring into the distance. There was a moment of unbroken silence, before Dumbledore sighed.  
  
"I think it is a well-crafted mixture of both. Our opponent… he is formidable. A spell yes, but a clever one. He has combined it with heavy psychological abuse as well, maybe mild sexual abuse." Little did Albus know how dead-on he was. The other two looked at him, waiting for more, but he did not elaborate.  
  
"How do you know this?"  
  
"I don't. I merely speculate," He said.  
  
"We should run a Dark Magic test on her," Snape said matter-of-factly. They agreed on this, and went to bed, determined to do the test the next day.  
  
But they had forgotten one thing. Early the next morning, the students- and interns- had gone home for Christmas holidays. And so, the mystery of Hermione Granger was temporarily unsolved.  
  
Which was particularly why Draco did not want to talk about her with his Mother- or anybody for that matter. He wondered briefly whether Weasel or Weaselette would interrogate him or not… most likely, before one- or all six- of the brothers beat the crap out of him. He sighed and followed his Mother up the freshly-shoveled path to the Burrow, wondering what awaited him inside.  
  
Little did he know, it was exactly the person he dreaded making contact with.  
  
TBC 


	2. Tylenol: Extra Strength

Love  
  
Chapter 2 [Tylenol: Extra Strength]  
  
Last Time:  
  
Draco sighed and followed his Mother up the freshly shoveled path to the Burrow, wondering what awaited him inside.  
  
Little did he know, it was exactly the person he dreaded making contact with.  
  
TBC ________________________________________________________________________  
  
"Ron, move. Fast." Hermione mumbled ineloquently, shoving his chest a little. They were still cuddling in the bed, and Harry and Ginny were sitting on the edge. The four, the famous 'Fab Four' of old, had simply been enjoying the contemplative silence. Each had been lost deep in their own thoughts. Ron looked down at Hermione in confusion, but rolled flat on the bed so she could climb over him. She scrambled out of the bed and ran out of the room. The others looked at each other.  
  
"Cry?" Ron suggested, eyebrows furrowed. Harry cringed and Ginny shrugged absently, looking at the door which Hermione had disappeared through.  
  
"I hope not- she did enough of it last night." She said, biting her lip. There was a moment of tense silent before they heard a strange sound from the bathroom. The three glanced at each other as the sound came again, and then they laughed. Collapsed into giggles that were pure relief after the stressful night- the stressful past few nights. Hermione was suffering from a dreadful hangover. A few minutes later came the groggy sounding call,  
  
"Where's the damn toothpaste? And does anybody have some Tylenol? I feel like a."  
  
The rest of Hermione's words were drowned out by a burst of laughter.  
  
Ginny, Harry and Ron ate breakfast, and Hermione had a Bloody Mary, a Bloody Maria, a Prairie Oyster, a Bullshot and a black coffee. Unfortunately, none of these hangover cures quite worked- instead they constituted another trip to the bathroom to empty her stomach and the use of another half-a-tube of Colgate.  
  
"What else is there?" Hermione demanded, wiping her forehead exhaustedly.  
  
"Um.nothing? Sleep?" suggested Ron, shrugging helplessly.  
  
"How about breathing into a paper bag, or standing on your head?"  
  
"That's for hiccups, Harry," Ginny explained.  
  
"But it might work. Hermione?" Harry insisted.  
  
"At this point, I'll try anything."  
  
What a waste of Colgate.  
  
The doorbell, which was charmed to play Jingle Bells, began ringing - er, jingling- just as Ginny sat down on the couch with the boys, bowl of Doritos in hand as the Christmas specials began. She grumbled and set the bowl down, getting up and heading towards the door.  
  
"Fat lot of help you two are," she said to the boys, who were innocently eating the Doritos. Ron smiled through a mouthful.  
  
"Ugh," was Ginny's reply.  
  
"Make it stop!" yelled Hermione from her bed, as the bell, continued ringing - er, jingling- repeatedly.  
  
"I'm COMING!" Ginny yelled to the impatient doorbell jingler. She muttered a few expletives and then swung the door open, smiling cheerfully.  
  
Her smile faded when she saw who it was.  
  
"How'm I supposed to know how it works, for the love of Merlin! I don't employ the use of these things." Draco was saying in an exasperated manner as Narcissa, a small frown on her pretty face, incessantly pressed the little white button. a 'bell-door', yes?  
  
Ginny choked slightly in her shock (which was supreme), and Narcissa and Draco looked up at the same time, their white-blonde hair falling into their eyes in the exact same way. Narcissa gracefully shook hers out of the way as she smiled serenely and offered Ginny a small, pale hand, recently ungloved. Draco shuffled his feet (on the pretense of keeping warm), blushing, and ignored the hair in his eyes. Ginny wiped her hand, still orange from Doritos, on her gray sweatpants and straightened her hot pink, raggedy tank top (which clashed horribly with her hair, but which she insisted on wearing anyway), before taking the proffered hand a little weakly. *Oh my God- they must think we're a family of slobs- if only Mummy was home!*  
  
If Narcissa took any notice of Ginny's disheveled appearance or the messy house behind her, she didn't show any signs of it. She smiled sweetly, her tiny pearly white teeth showing between red lips, and said,  
  
"You must be Ginny! I've heard how pretty you were, but descriptions can do you no justice!" She said quite earnestly in her usual excited voice. Ginny blushed in a way that would've been adorable if not for the red hair, and stuttered,  
  
"Would- would you like to c-come in?" S opened the door a little wider.  
  
Narcissa smiled and nodded, walking into the house and clutching the sleeve of Draco's black winter coat so that he had no choice but to follow, if he didn't want to make a scene. Ginny looked up at him in an awed way that made him feel a bit uncomfortable, so he loosened his warm green and silver scarf slightly. Ginny snapped to attention, taking the scarf, coats and gloves of her guests, as well as Narcissa's jaunty hat.  
  
Narcissa glanced around the kitchen cheerfully, taking in the piles of dirty dishes, the leftovers of breakfasts and the strange amount of empty glasses, as well as scattered boxes of Tylenol: Extra Strength.  
  
"Isn't this a darling little house!" She exclaimed, seeming not to notice the mess, much to Ginny's relief. Ginny was still occupied with staring at Draco though. He was so tall and aloof, and she hadn't seen him since the breakup. Her natural Weasley loyalty prevented her from being too friendly with him until she knew the details of the seperation. His grey eyes were melancholy and steely, and none of his usual humor showed through. Even in his 'brat' days, when they had all been enemies, there had been that slightest of twinkles in his eyes as he called the Fab Four his customary derogatory names. It had vanished.  
  
Ginny couldn't believe that this soft-spoken, broken young man was the same who had tormented her in her early Hogwarts, or even the one who had slightly befriended her as the Hermione's partner in Head Student-ish crime, all those ages ago. Narcissa chattered a little about some of the antique spoon collection that Arthur had found at a Muggle thrift-shop and had displayed proudly in the kitchen, and Draco and Ginny took each other in, each trying to figure everything out. "It's so damn complicated!" Ginny felt like yelling, but for Mrs. Malfoy's sake, didn't.  
  
"Gin, the Grinch is starting." said Ron, stepping through the door with an empty Dorito bowl in hand. He stopped short on the threshold, staring at Narcissa like he had never seen a Malfoy before. In almost slow motion, his eyes left her, and drifted to Ginny, and then painstakingly they traveled and settled on Draco. The eyes flared in fire for a moment as he glared at the one who was his recently re-sworn enemy. The bowl was laid down on a counter as he took a step towards the blond menace to society. Narcissa giggled, not noticing the tension in the least, and reached up ( a good ways up) to run a hand through Ron's red hair.  
  
"I've never really seen hair that's that red- wow, I didn't know you could have hair that was that red! It looks so adorable! Does everyone in your family have hair that red? I wish Draco could've had nice red hair, although I don't think it would've matched his complexion. Maybe if he had freckles- oh, you're freckles are so cute! You must all have been the most adorable babies! Babies- I do love babies! I can't wait until Draco has babies, they'll be so cute and fun to play with, with those little dimples in their elbows- I'm sure they'll have blonde hair, but it would be so nice if one- just one- had red hair. Draco?" She looked over at him hopefully, as though she expected him to say 'Of course I'll have a baby with red hair, if that's what you want!'. Instead he ducked his head slightly, his face expressionless, and said quietly,  
  
"Yes Mother." Ginny and Ron were staring at Narcissa as though she was insane (which most would agree she was, once she got over her initial socialite-ness). At this point Harry wandered in, looking for a Coke refill, and like Ron, halted abruptly as he noticed the guests. Narcissa gasped, breaking the awkward silence (she was doing quite a bit of that lately, it seemed),  
  
"Harry Potter." she said in an awed whisper, her eyes wide. She glanced back and forth between Ginny, Ron and Harry all of whom she seemed quite enamored with; the same adoring expression on her face. Suddenly she switched back into her socialite self in the blink of an eye. Her polite smile spread across her face, and she asked nicely, "Is Mrs. Arthur Weasley at home?", looking at Ginny.  
  
"I'm sorry, I'm afraid to say both Mr. And Mrs. Weasley are away from the house at the moment," Ginny said absently, sharing incredulous glances with Harry and Ron. this was too strange. And was there something a little - off- with Narcissa Malfoy- or were they imagining?  
  
"Will they be back anytime soon?" the object of their thoughts asked.  
  
"I'm afraid our parents won't arrive home for a few weeks at least, Mrs. Malfoy," Ron said, truly regretting as he saw her face drift into earnest disappointment.  
  
Narcissa had some sort of magic over people. no matter how insane they thought she was, they couldn't bear to see that sweet, childlike face sad, and there was no better pleasure than to bring a smile or a laugh to her pretty lips. Nobody actually said that there wasn't something wrong about her, something strange, but nobody said that she wasn't the most enchanting witch - or person for that matter - alive, either.  
  
"I- I had some Christmas gifts- for them - was hoping." Narcissa said, her eyes starting to brim with tears as she held out a large gift bag filled with gifts. Ron took it hastily, smiling reassuringly.  
  
"Don't worry, we can owl these to Mum and Dad express, they'll get them before Christmas Eve, Mrs. Malfoy," He said, nodding his head. Narcissa smiled.  
  
"Thank you so much! I don't know what I would've done- what a sweet boy you are! And-" All of a sudden her face paled, if that were possible. "D-Deedee honey. when's the Eve?"  
  
"It's tomorrow, Mother," Draco said, still looking at the floor.  
  
"The - the eggnog." Narcissa said in utter shock, her hand flying to her mouth.  
  
Everybody looked to Draco for an explanation.  
  
"Father won't mind if you make it tomorrow morning, Mother. Or the house elves could make it."  
  
"No. no." She said, shaking her head worriedly. "He'll be so mad. I'm going home, I might be able to make it before he gets back from Diagon Alley- I must go! You - stay here Draco," She said in the most strict voice she had, and then, with no warning, she was gone. There was silence, and no Narcissa to break it.  
  
"Is your Father that bad?" Ron asked heedlessly, still in shock.  
  
"No. She doesn't quite get that he won't do something- something like he would've." Draco trailed off and Ginny unconsciously laid a hand on his arm. He simply stared it.  
  
"Is- is there something wrong with her?" Harry stuttered, totally amazed by the performance that Narcissa had just given. Draco glanced up sharply, thinking it to be an insult, but upon seeing the dumb-struck faces, he smiled slightly.  
  
"Got hit by too many curses when her and Father turned against the Dark Lord, I reckon." He sounded weak, laughing half-heartedly. "The coma set her back a bit." He stopped, abruptly turning, flinging the door open, and striding out into the Winter Wonderland.  
  
"Draco!" Ginny called after him. He spun on his heels. "Y-your coat." Ginny yelled, gesturing to the closet. Draco came back up the walk, took his and his Mothers outdoor clothing and gave a stiff nod before turning again.  
  
"Wait," Ginny said, with more command than she usually had when around the unnerving Malfoy. He fixed her with a questioning stare. "You can't go home- "  
  
"Of course not. She'll panic," He said simply.  
  
"Well where will you go?" Harry demanded.  
  
"I don't know," Draco said, turning to leave once again.  
  
"There isn't anything around for miles, only houses and a green grocer in Ottery St. Catchpole. There's a storm coming on. You can't Apparate, you aren't experienced enough," Harry insisted.  
  
"Can I use your Floo powder then please?" He asked through grit teeth.  
  
"The Floo system is closed down for the storm as well. It won't be working for at least three hours."  
  
"Then I'll walk to St. Catchpole Ottery, and I will take a cab-taxi to London," He said, more stiffly yet, a strange desperation in his eyes.  
  
"You haven't got any Muggle money. Nor do we," Ron said.  
  
"She's here isn't she?" Draco asked. There was no doubt as to who 'she' was. Ginny nodded reluctantly. "Well. I guess I'll be going." He turned one last time to the door. There was nothing left for Ginny, Ron and Harry to do, short of forcefully restraining him.  
  
"Stop." Came a voice from behind them, and all four turned to see Hermione in the doorway. She was dressed in a long, fuzzy blue robe that was slightly lopsided and pair of matching fuzzy blue slippers. She and Draco stared at one another for a long moment.  
  
"You got out of your jeans, finally?" Ron chuckled awkwardly, glancing between the two.  
  
"Warmed up? No more headache?" Harry asked helpfully.  
  
"Would you like anything, dear?" Ginny cringed as she patted Hermione's shoulder.  
  
"You shouldn't leave in the storm. Just stay," Hermione said to Draco, then finally broke contact and turned to Harry; almost as if Draco, once dealt with, no longer existed. "I caught a second chill," she said simply.  
  
"How?! Hermione!" Ron said angrily, forgetting Draco as he stamped his foot and trudged towards the kettle. Ginny rubbed her arm anxiously and Harry rummaged for the hot water bottle.  
  
"It wasn't my fault. The window flew open," Everyone stared at her.  
  
"There isn't any wind on that side of the house, the storm is coming up from the West."  
  
"I know. It was strange. Anyway, I thought I should come tell you, because I can't close it."  
  
"What?! I have to go see this," Ron said, sprinting up the stairs. Eventually the others followed him.  
  
They looked in through the door way. The windows were wide open, and the entire room was filled with snow. There was a path through it, where Hermione had crawled out of her bed and made her way into the hall. An awed silence.  
  
"What the fuck?" Harry trudged over to the window and leaned his head out. "There isn't any wind." He shut the window and turned to the others, shrugging.  
  
"Well you boys get the snow out then, I'll take Hermione down to feed and dress her." Ginny said in a businesslike manner.  
  
*Since when is Hermione an invalid?* Draco wondered. She had always been the one to insist on taking care of herself until she couldn't handle it anymore- was she to that point now? When she had come down he had been shocked. The fluffiest of bathrobes couldn't hide how gaunt and angular she had become, her cheeks had gotten so hollow with those big dark circles under her eyes- like someone had taken the face of the old sweet, crazy Hermione and carved it out so that it was new thin, sickly, pale Hermione. *What would Stephen think?* he wondered suddenly. Harry and Ron had transfigured hangers into shovels and were about to start getting rid of the snow. *So all those warm spring days we spent cooped up with McGonagall payed off- slightly.* Draco made himself a shovel, flung open the window, and set to work. A few minutes of hard work and they took a break to pant.  
  
"Should've worn gloves," said Ron, rubbing his hands together and looking around - only then noticing... The boys looked at each other in shock. Draco drove his shovel into the snow, and heaved it out into the white wilderness that lay outside the window. They stared at the spot that he had dug into. The snow was still there. He tried again. It was if he had done nothing. The snow would not be gotten rid of.  
  
"It could be- it must be- magic." Harry said, glancing involuntarily down the stairs.  
  
The three tried every spell they could think of, but the snow would not budge. By the time they trooped downstairs defeated, dark had fallen and Ginny was making delicious smelling seafood pasta.  
  
"That smells yummy, Gins," Ron said half-heartedly, sitting down at the table. "Where's Hermione?" He took a long sip of hot chocolate.  
  
"She's asleep, poor thing. I don't know how she even managed to make it down the stairs, she was so freezing - even colder than last night. That snow must've been on top of her for a while before she woke up. It took me ages to get her warm; I practically had to shove her whole into the fire. The warming spell had no effect at all, she just sat there, shivering. That cold isn't like any cold I've ever seen - it went right into her bones. She managed to dig out from under the snow, get out of her pajamas and put on my robe, and then came down. She wasn't blue at all like last night either, just freezing, like a chunk of ice. Like she was below zero or something. Jesus, I was scared for a while." Ginny said, shaking her head with a small smile of reassurance for the boys. *She's getting more and more like Mum every day.* Ron realised.  
  
"Hang on a second, am I missing something? Last night? She was cold last night?" Draco asked, obviously confused. A tense glance. Ginny opened her mouth, but closed it at a glare from Ron. she understood he wanted to save Hermione's pride. but really, Draco ought to know. her dilemma was solved as Harry explained the events of the previous night. Draco looked shocked.  
  
"She." He took a deep breath, as though he was afraid to ask. "She hasn't. you haven't noticed. if she's cut herself. at all.?" He managed to force out, as though just saying the words might give Hermione the subconscious inspiration.  
  
"I watch her," Ginny said, shaking her head.  
  
"There's just something wrong with her Draco, I don't know what.! It drives me crazy, not being able to help her. something's eating her from the inside. I'm afraid she may. she may just. die, one day. Soon." Ron blurted, swallowing his own pride.  
  
"It's not me. is it? I didn't do anything. she just came back from that manor. wrong. But I didn't do anything, even say anything," Draco said.  
  
"I know." Ginny said, locking eyes with Draco and nodding. Ever since that night when they had sat together, when Hermione had still been in her. 'place'. they had been just a little bit closer.  
  
"Gin. Ginny?" came Hermione's voice from the living room. Ginny left the room regretfully, breaking off the conversation. The boys could hear the soft conversation and couldn't help wonder what was being said. something about a cup of coffee, or something about life and death.? Ginny came in looking paler than she had a few minutes before.  
  
"She's cold again. She's right in front of the fire, I don't know what's wrong with her! Jesus, she's bleeding everywhere! We need to get someone." she said, wringing her hands.  
  
"What do you mean? Has she.?"  
  
"No, she swears she hasn't cut herself, and I believe her, God help me. There isn't anything in the living room to cut with. all her old wounds. the ones on her wrists. and the others. are opening up," Ginny said.  
  
"Others? The other wounds?" Draco asked, standing abruptly.  
  
"Draco. didn't she tell you?"  
  
"Tell me what?"  
  
"She didn't tell you?!" demanded Ron, turning a furious Weasley red. All of a sudden things were changing for him. how had Hermione been playing this poor guy. "That girl."  
  
"TELL ME WHAT?!"  
  
"The scars. she still has scars from when her Father took her Draco. Didn't you know? On her arms, on her chest, on her legs."  
  
"What? But - but she said that they had used Abstergio on them, at St. Mungo's."  
  
"They did. It didn't work. They aren't so bad, just white lines. but she hates them. because they aren't just lines. they're symbols. It's hideous. I mean, the symbols themselves are beautiful. but what they represent." Ginny blinked furiously and began boiling the kettle.  
  
"I'll get the blankets and the hot water bottle," Harry said, he himself holding back tears as he ran up the stairs. Ron still seemed furious at Hermione, and began heading toward the living room. Draco held him back.  
  
"I want her- I want her alone." He said, brushing past Ron and into the room where Hermione lay, shivering and bleeding on the couch. Ron and Ginny glanced at each other worriedly. Was it a good idea for them to be alone together?  
  
And what was wrong with their Hermione?  
  
TBC  
  
AN: I know it's been a long time, but I'm traveling, and doing vacationey things, so it's really hard to find the time to write, especially with my grandparents being strongly against computers and/or reading. save me!  
  
Anyway, hope you enjoyed the chapters and thanks to reviewers:  
  
Mione G.- Thanks, and I'm sure it will end happily as long as my morbid streak stays nice and downtrodden.  
  
Allee kat- well, I thought I might as well post it before I went away, because as you see now, I have very little time to get near a computer when I'm on holiday.  
  
smiley13- Thanks and have you ever noticed how much you invoke God? How many times a day do you think He has to bless America? What about Japan?  
  
An hour later *panting* I'm-telling-you-they-had-to-drag-me-kicking-and- screaming-into-that-Jacuzzi-full-of-jasmine-scented-bubbles-and-my-last- thoughts-as-I-floundered-beneath-the-rose-petals-was-of-my-dear-dear- reviewers. *pant* Ok, let's continue.  
  
Ruby-Kate Gamgee- Kittikins, you know very well that you aren't allowed to die! If you do, who will beta for me? *tuts*  
  
MiaMaria- yes, widdle Dwaco id berry tweet, idn't ee?  
  
Give Me Stitchez- Faith.in.me.? Eheh. *nervous titter*  
  
Cleo2427- Thank you very much. I love my G*Ness.  
  
Lady Saint Veronica- NYC was a total laugh. Total.  
  
Eden- Thank-you kindly darling. I appreciate your thinking "Love" is splendid.  
  
Rina- I don't know what you'll do either, but I'm sure it will be fearsome, so I'll try to comply.  
  
Dracolover- I'm glad you aren't getting sick of my dramaticism yet. yet being the operative word.  
  
Fire Belle- I'm glad you liked the chapter, because I thought it might be a little to dramatic- then again, isn't every thing I write just a little over-the-top? *sigh*  
  
Shadia- your wish is my command, darling.  
  
Snow-Queen- Eek! Going as fast as I can! Please don't hurt me!  
  
Star-queen- See you in the asylum then! 


	3. Fragility

Love

Chapter 3 [Fragility}

****

Last Time:

"I want her- I want her alone," Draco said, brushing past Ron and into the room where Hermione lay, shivering and bleeding on the couch. Ron and Ginny glanced at each other worriedly. Was it a good idea for them to be alone together?

And what was wrong with their Hermione?

TBC

________________________________________________________________________

He stared at her from the doorway. Hermione- _his _Hermione- reduced to this… this pale, deathly wreck. Her eyes were closed as she reclined on the couch, a small, white cast-off of humanity in the middle of a sea of blue couch and orange Chudley Cannons cushions. Ginny had placed a navy blue bed sheet under her so she wouldn't get any blood on the couch or cushions, and it was wrapped around her tiny, shaking form. Even though the sheet was dark, Draco could see the stains of blood on it- not ordinary stains, but the same, slightly blurred and twisted patterns that Robert had cut into her satiny skin not so long ago. 

Why hadn't she told him? 

Had she thought he'd care? He wouldn't have… he still didn't. He knelt by the couch, laying a hand on hers as he flipped her arm to see more scars, except these were the ones she herself had made. He traced the crude slash with a finger, amazed by the difference it what she had wrought and what Robert had. 

The Rilami carvings were hideously beautiful, with their curves and arches, yet there was something so terribly deceitful about them- that hard, vengeful, pain-filled slash across her wrist looked angelically honest. He looked up to find her awake, watching him through those deer-in-the-headlights chocolate brown eyes that he adored. 

"I thought I told you never to touch me again," She said softly, and through her eyes and tone Draco understood that there was no malice, no conviction, left in those words that had once crushed his world. 

"Men never listen," He joked half-heartedly. 

"You always listened."

"Why didn't you tell me about the scars?" 

"Because I'm spoiled, aren't I? Don't tell me that silly little scars don't bother you… even if they don't… _I'm _spoiled Draco. Not my skin, not my body, no matter how sick I may be… my soul rots from these marks."

"They aren't magical… nothing could rot _your_ soul, _your_ spirit, Hermione..." 

"These? These scars aren't the ones I was talking about… these scarred my soul, but they could never do to me what the scars that Yamin left are doing. This is his handiwork… his and mine combined. I was stupid. I'll die for that stupidity."

"You won't die! How can he do this to you… and you can't be stupid… Hermione Granger could never be stupid."

"Hermione Granger… oh, she could be more stupid than any. You don't know what I've done Draco, I've allowed evil to touch me, and I'll die because of it." 

"You won't! No matter what touches you, nothing can conquer you…"

"This will. There's so much you don't know. If I die- I shall die. If I choose to live- the world will pay for my mistakes."

"What are you saying? You can choose to live? Just tell me- tell me how you can live…"

"I can live if I go to him. When I woke under the snow, I found this." Hermione held out an envelope. It was a soft butter color and Draco ripped it open, tearing out a similarly coloured sheet. Thick, bold black writing seemed to jump out at him. 

__

Come and be spared your destiny. Come and be powerful. 

-Yamin

Draco looked at Hermione questioningly.

"Hermione… this is just some stupid letter that the jerk sent you… all you have to do is write back and tell him to flip off because you don't want to be 'spared from your destiny', or whatever. " There was a long silence as Hermione (AN: also the author…) contemplated what to say. 

"But I do. I don't want what life will give me. But that doesn't mean I'll accept what he offers." 

"Maybe _I'm _your destiny!"

"No you aren't, Draco. I wish you were. My destiny is to die for my mistakes."

"What mistakes? What are you talking about? And how do you know all about destiny anyway?" Draco spluttered, angry that she couldn't just tell him that she would be fine tomorrow and everything would be good again. 

"The choice I made at Abhinatha was the wrong one. That is my mistake and I…"

"Everybody makes mistakes! Jesus Christ Hermione! It doesn't mean that you…"

"Yes it does! Yes it does you… you _fool_! Don't you see? Why can't you just… get it?! It is already done! There's nothing we can do to help it!" 

"Don't call me a fool when I'm not! I just care for the love of Merlin! And yes, there is something to help! You just said so yourself! You're going to Yamin!" He was already desperately trying to lift her off the couch, but she squirmed away from him.

"What are you going to do! Drop me off on his freaking doorstep?! I'm not some reject kitten!"

"The bloody hell you're not! If you were some reject kitten I'd drown you, not try and save your life! God! Flamel! Dumbledore! Help me!" 

Hermione was holding back a scream of frustration. She was still doggedly, although somewhat weakly, trying to evade his arms, and she was getting out of breath from the arguing, which was rather loud and energetic at this point. And then suddenly she had an idea. The one way to get Draco to leave her alone…

"Draco you're hurting me!" She yelled pitifully over Draco, who was still invoking various Gods and Wizards. The invokings stopped immediately and Draco stared down at the tiny girl who was haphazardly sprawled across the couch and himself. Her upper body was clutched to his side so that her arms could not hit or scratch him more than she already had but her legs were still flailing. He remembered with a start that he was handling an invalid, the invalid he loved, no less, quite roughly. 

"I am?" He asked concernedly and repentingly, gazing down at her. 

"Yes…" Hermione cringed quietly, secretly trying to hold back triumphant laughter. She was doing a very good acting job. Draco looked like he was about ready to go on a search for a cat'o'nine tails and flog himself as he lay her gently down on the couch, so she quickly smiled weakly and added, "Not that much, just tiring me, and I'm so ill…" His face reverted to only slightly stricken and became a little less remorseful. 

"Sorry, I didn't mean to…"

"I know. We never mean to hurt each other." Draco didn't know whether she meant them in particular or humanity in general, so he let it slip. 

"Anyway. Ah, sorry and well, I guess we'll be off to Yamin's then." He shrugged helplessly, as though saying 'I'll try and be more careful this time.' Hermione rolled her 

eyes.

"If I go to Abhinatha, Merlin knows what will happen! Understand! Understand!" She yelled furiously, as if saying the word would magically make everything clear to him. 

"I can't 'understand understand!' until you goddamn explain to me! What do you think I am, some kind of telepathic freaking gypsy?" 

Anger was firmly gripping them both and they stared each other down for a moment, grey and chocolate eyes alike blazing with fire. Finally Hermione looked away and made a gurgling noise of exasperation in her throat. 

"Gah! I- greh! You just- Uff! Why- Rrr! And- GICK!" 

"Ok, let's both calm down. You can stop being frustrated and start using full sentences now." 

Hermione nodded. 

"Let's start at the beginning, ok? AGH! I hate this and- right. So, I got captured and was taken to Abhinatha. And then Yamin quasi-brainwashed me and screwed around with my mind. You still with me?" 

"Yes."

"Good." Hermione pummeled the Chudley Cannons slogan on a pillow for a few seconds while Draco waited near-patiently until she began again. "So he quasi-brainwashed me to think that Dumbledore and the Ministry and the Light Side were all in the wrong and the He and the Darks were really the ones suffering injustice. And that you were evil. And didn't love me. And that you were a big, lying prat. Which you are." 

"I am not! I've never lied to you!" 

"You just did."

"Echfigmoof?" Draco sputtered. 

"You had a non-platonic relationship with Pansy Parkinson, and when I asked about her, you told me a direct and distinct lie."

"When did I ever have a relationship with Pa- oh yeah! _That._ I didn't lie to you, I just forgot. It was only a nine-day relationship in second year, Hermione. And it was only because Goyle told us that it was dorky to be friends with people of the opposite sex and we were young and gullible. At 12, who wants to be dorky? So we decided to have a "relationship", and be cool. But it was boring and we liked being friends better, so decided to risk dorkdom." He was smiling. Hermione was tempted to as well. It was sort of cute. They didn't want to be dorks so they started dating. She laughed. 

"That's stupid. You didn't seem the type to care about what others thought about you when you were 12, you know, and neither was Pansy."

"Well we certainly didn't care what Gryffindors thought about us, but we cared about what the other Slytherins, our parents and the Death Eaters thought. Women are only supposed to be used for relationships in the society we grew up in. Not friendship." 

"But your father treats Narcissa equally."

"Yeah well… Dad's different. The whole Death Eater thing was a stupid mistake for them, they regret it. They weren't like the rest- fanatical and bloodthirsty. They were just naïve and dumb. Only in their 20's."

"So why do you act like they were fanatical and bloodthirsty? Why can't you forgive them?" 

Draco scowled. 

"Because you don't know a lot of things Hermione. It's none of your business." 

"Of course it is, we…"

"We're nothing, according to you. Remember that? Or have you decided to take me back and forgive me?" 

"I think we both know that that isn't the question." 

"Then what is the question?"

"It's have _you _decided to take _me _back and forgive me for being gullible and not trusting you?"

"Why did you accompany that question with puppy eyes?" Hermione remained silent and Draco sighed. "Yeah, I forgive you. I guess. Damn. I'm whipped. I should've at least made you squirm and suffer a little bit." 

"Don't worry, I've squirmed and suffered enough since we broke up."

"Really?"

"Yes."

"That, in a strange way, delights me." 

There was a long silence. 

"It feels like we should do something to finalize it."

"Yeah." Draco shook Hermione's hand. 

"Oh, that's romantic." 

"You're an invalid."

"Invalids have lips." Draco smiled. 

"So they do." 

TBC (slightly short but nice place to end it and am starting next chapter straight away. Well, after I find some chocolate, that is.)(sorry it's unbeta'd but Kitten is missing. Hope you don't mind)

________________________________________________________________________

AN: Ok. I am a dreadful, dreadful, dreadful, horribly disgusting and obnoxiously revolting person. I am abhorrent in every way possible and known to man, and I am morally, emotionally, and intelligently intolerable by any being with an IQ above mine, meaning 5 or more, or animals, especially vicious dogs who eat people and garbage and live in filthy alleyways. They don't like me either. I am loathed and despised by every organism on this earth, including that leaf over there, and by a few inanimate objects as well. I don't deserve to live for my heinous and vile ways. I deserve to die an excruciatingly painful death by torture (note: NOT chocolate) and burn in hell eternally. I sincerely hope this untimely fate befalls me and I am graced with the Mercy of God and various Angels and allowed only to be kept on the burning coals for 12 hours, though I know in my heart that I deserve more. This makes me more distasteful and despicable. 

In short, I am sorry that I didn't update faster. I've been on vacation and away from a computer, but in some inexplicable way it is surely my fault. Please don't forgive me, I don't deserve it. Please abuse me in the most impossibly degrading and demoralizing ways. I am pure evil. Voldemort is my pet hamster. 

That feels much better. 

Quote of the chapter: 

"Money talks, but it don't sing and dance and it don't walk" 

Can anybody tell me what song that quote came from, and who sang it? Email your answers to me, and if you're the first person to get it right, I'll give you a cameo in any one of my stories, up to you. Aren't I cute? 

Heh heh. I _do_ amuse myself. I don't know about others…but I'm bored. Very bored. It's a heat wave. Trapped in house. Boredom. 

Anyway, thanks to reviewers:

Icy Stormz- I hate the evil technology. Remember when that happened to the suicide chapter? Goddamn. My computer groveled for it's life that night. It's very happy that I didn't throw it out the window. Thanks, my vacay is one of the best I've ever had, lots of fun! But yay, it's still going on! Wee! That's why I'm not sure when the next chapter will be out… I'm trying really hard. 

WhyMMM- My God, with ff.net down, I was starting to forget what the 'review' high' felt like. Oh the glorious rush! When I first started Pain is Bitter, I would publish every day or every second day. Then exams started and it bumped up to once or twice a week, and now since I'm on vacation it's sort of bi-monthly at best. I'm hoping I'll get back to the original fast stuff, but it's looking bleak, I'm starting boarding school in September, and there'll be loads of extracurricular activities and study to do, especially since I'm on a scholarship and need to make a good impression… I hope I get "Love" done this summer, but I'll have to write like crazy. Wish me luck!

Rosebud- What a charming expression! Smashing! I must adopt it! 

dragonAce- *sniffle* I'm going as fast as I can when on vacation! 

Smiley13- *nods head reverently* God Bless Japan. But also Canada. And America. And Ireland. And Mesopotamia. And. Czechoslovakia. And Croatia. And all the other places in the world :D

fOxyness39- Poor Dray-baba. 

dracolover- was it cliff-hangerish of me? It didn't seem very cliff-hangerish when I wrote it.

Serpent de feu- what does that mean? *runs around in circles to burn off nervous energy* ARGH! Why is my French so bad?! Wait, Serpent of Leaves? Or would that be Serpent de Feuilles? *jumps up and down* Tell me tell me!

MiaMaria- That wasn't a cliffie! Was it? 

Kely- *whimper* I'm TRYING, ok?!

Sucker for Romance- It is good isn't it? Good and ready to be thrown in the dumpster. 

Rina- Scroll up and read down. :D

FireBelle- Heh heh, I like the way your mind works. Thanks, I already burnt my legs, which in my family is good, because it means a tan will surface tomorrow or the next day. *giggle* Yay! Tan!*goes off into little world of being tanned…* 

allee kat- You are so very welcome, it is so great that you guys actually still read! I was like, 'eek! Am so loved!'. 

Shadia- *calls to members of the "Pain, Bitterness and Love" Army* The new recruit is too enthusiastic. Beat it out of her. Mwahahaha! Sorry, just joking. Thank you ever so much, but don't get your expectations up, I'm not a very good writer. I still want to lavish attention on you until you get too disgusted with the fic though! Look everybody! It's 

Shadia, my newest hypnotisee! She hasn't snapped out of it yet! She still believes I can actually string a functional sentence together! 

Moon-Walker- when do I get to come over and drool at Neo? 

Lola- Stop making me feel bad. For the love of God, don't praise me when I feel guilty. You people know how badly that always turns out. 

Shadia- I love Cissa too. Stop with your praise now, little one. 

Lady-Saint Veronica- a total laugh is Kent-speak for fun, sorry for confusion/grief it caused. It was cruel and horrible of me and I suck and am mean. Ah, that feels better. 

Antation- Eheh…?! *hides*

Shadia- good writer… riiiiiiight. I think I'll go eat chocolate now. 

Ginn- stop your loving of my story at once. It isn't healthy. The compliment is making me turn very red and I'm beginning to choke.

PoPs- stop it you insolent thing! Did I or did I not tell you all to stop complimenting me?! I am ridden with horrible guilt! 

Terra Rose- lovely *pant* name *pant*. Just- I don't think I can take any more praise. Please, have mercy… 

Alohomora- do you not comprehend the meaning of mercy? No? Stop. The. Killing. Of. Semi-Innocent. Author. With. Deadly. Praise. That. Exacerbates. Guilt. 

TsAmZ- me… legend? *head explodes Femmebot-style (the Spy who shagged me)* 

Tabitha- *sparks fly off lifeless body*

Moi- *body is engulfed in flames* Heard over crackling of fire: Thanks a whole freakin lot! I wanted to die in my sleep! 


	4. Hwhy?

Love  
  
Chapter Four [Hwhy?]

****

Last Time:

Draco shook Hermione's hand. 

"Oh, that's romantic." 

"You're an invalid."

"Invalids have lips." Draco smiled. 

"So they do." 

TBC

________________________________________________________________________

"Hey, listen!" Harry said, lifting his head off the table. Ginny and Ron perked their ears. 

"That's strange, I don't hear any more yelling…"

"I know, it's worrying me." Ron looked at the door, concerned.

"I mean, what if one of them has strangled the other? That would be no good. Or what if they deafened each other? Or what if Draco smothered Hermione? Or what if Hermione shoved Draco out of a window? Or what if…" Ginny was urging herself to the brink of suicide. 

"Stop speculating. Maybe they argued themselves to sleep. That's probably it. It's getting late. We'll just check to make sure," Harry said reasonably. The three crept to the door and opened it a crack, sticking their heads through. As they watched, Draco and Hermione leaned forward and pecked each other lightly on the lips, sealing their deal. They smiled at each other until Ron spoiled the romantic moment by loudly saying:

"Oh, is that all? If you're actually getting back together, you could have a decent snog at least. I mean, when is the last time either of you could've got any action… like," He began counting on his fingers, but Ginny interrupted him. 

"Yay! You're back together! Yay!" 

She grabbed Harry as the best candidate to jump up and down with (as Ron had gone back to his counting). Harry turned a nice shade of tomato and jumped half-heartedly with her. 

"You know, you guys can come in. You look like a bunch of checker pieces with your heads stuck through the door. Red, black, red…" Hermione smiled as they rushed in. 

"Actually, we're not back together. That was just a random act of hormones," Draco said pleasantly. 

"Freaking…" Ginny stomped her foot in an agitated manner. Ron nodded, smiling as his suppressed suspicions of the two were confirmed. Then he sighed wearily as he realized the implications.

"Draco's just being prattish. We _are _back together," Hermione reassured them. 

"Oh good. I'm too emotionally spent to jump," Ginny said, going so suddenly from standing to lying on the floor that Ron thought she had fainted until he saw that her eyes were open.

"Oh my God, Ginny's dead!" He exclaimed. 

"I'm not dead dumb-dumb, I'm just lying down because I'm _tired_." Ginny rolled her eyes and grabbed a nearby Weasley jumper (conveniently hidden under a chair, where- Ginny checked the letter on the front- Bill was hoping his Mother would never look), then stuffed it under her head and curled up, promptly going to sleep. 

"Wow," Draco said, truly astonished. He had known the Weasleys were a bit short on money, but he hadn't thought they slept on the floor.

"We must really have tired her out," Ron said as he nudged his little sister with his toe and then turned to the rest of the group, satisfied she was dead to the world. 

"So, what do you guys do in winter?" Draco asked, with interest.

"Pardon?" Ron looked confused.

"Well, isn't the floor cold? Or do you have blankets sometimes?" 

"You smarmy ferret-" Ron lunged for Draco's throat, but luckily Draco hopped out of his way and the Avenging Weasley was only able to knock over a chair, which was always a helpful thing to do. 

"Ron, I think Draco was serious. You must understand how ignorant he is and be patient with him," Hermione explained, smiling patronizingly at Draco, who struck a protective pose.

"Just because if I don't know if lower-class wizards slept on the floor or not does NOT make me ignorant, Hermione Richardson." 

Ron looked slightly murderous at being classed as lower-class, so Harry quickly intervened. 

"Anyway, let's not waste time with this while we have other more important things to discuss. Like Hermione. Draco, Ron, shall we commence in the study?" The two he addressed nodded their agreement to his proposal and began to follow him out of the room. 

"Ex**_cuse _**me? Am I not to be part of this conversation?" Hermione asked scathingly. 

"Well Hermione, you couldn't have expected that we would let you… you see, you're very sick, and weak, and we want you to rest and get better."

"I'm not getting any better, Harry Potter, I'm only getting worse, and my mind is perfectly awake and alert. So I'd thank you kindly if you would show me the consideration of allowing me to participate in a conversation concerned mainly with ME." After this speech was successfully delivered, she sat upright on the couch, swung her legs to the floor and stood up, taking a rather firm step in the direction of the others before she collapsed unconscious on the floor. Harry and Ron scrambled to get her back onto the couch, and Draco rolled his eyes fondly. 

________________________________________________________________________

"Yamin… Master, please do not do this… you will regret it…" 

"I regret nothing, lying whore." Yamin drew his short blade and polished it on the sleeve of his robe. 

"Please, I have done nothing to warrant such a severe reprimand…" 

"Navrona, shut your traitorous mouth." 

"But Master… Master…" She cringed into the shadows of the dungeon as he strode towards her. She knelt on the floor, her feet and hands chained to the stone wall behind her. 

"Navi, do you know, the dungeon is my favorite part of Abhinatha?"

"Master…" Her usually husky and alluring voice was a hoarse whisper. He crouched beside her, smiling as his teeth glinted in the semi-darkness. 

"When you told that man of my whereabouts, did you know who he was?" 

"No! No! I thought of him only as a drunken fool! I was tricked! It was not my fault!" Yamin edged closer and Navrona's eyes grew large with fear and apprehension. 

"So it was only your stupidity, not a traitorous act." A tear streaked down her dirty cheek- Navrona had pride, and she did not like admitting to stupidity. 

"Yes Master…"

"Would you have your life spared?" There was a click as he magically released her from the chains. For a moment, one brilliant moment that would be emblazoned on her memory forever, Navrona thought…

"Yes… oh please, oh please Master…" 

He grabbed her neck and yanked her roughly to him. She was shaking with fear as she realized what he was going to do. Knocking her so her back was to him, he grabbed her braid roughly. 

"No! Please!" 

And then it was done.

Her head felt light and dizzy with the loss of her long, thick and heavy hair, which now lay in a braided heap next to her. She sobbed, clutching it to her desperately. There was no greater shame. 

"You bastard!" She cried, flinging her shorn hair at him. He caught it easily and tossed it to the floor. 

"You can't do this to me!" She screamed as he yanked her to her feet and dragged her up the stairs with a vice like grip on her arm. 

"Yamin- you cannot, you would not… any fate but this." She was gasping between her sobs, trying desperately to tear herself away from him. He stopped abruptly as they entered the light filled courtyard after the long ascent from the dungeon, causing her to bang into him. 

"You choose Navi. Death, or this?" 

"No… please…" Her voice was soft now, between the harsh breathing borne of exertion and fear both. 

"Choose!" His voice was like thunder. 

"Not death! Not death!" She cried, tears streaming down her face as she realized what she had chosen. His soft smile showed his pleasure at her choice and he paused to relish his victory for a moment before he resumed his quick pace through the courtyard, still dragging Navrona behind him. Her sobbing was hysterical at this point- she had realized that he would not relent in his decision of punishment. They were nearing the door. She dug her heels into the ground, she pulled with all her might, and yet she could still not free herself of him. 

Then suddenly, she did. She sprawled across cobblestones, crying out as they dug into her soft flesh. She forgot her pain as she tried desperately to scramble away, only vaguely noting the faces of the servants as they looked out the windows, most scared witless, some taking perverse pleasure in her downfall… Aakav smiled down tauntingly. She felt Yamin grip her wrists again but instead of pulling her to her feet, he simply dragged her toward the door. She struggled only for a moment, not feeling the pain of the sharp stones beneath her, ripping at her clothing and skin, before she slowly slipped from consciousness. 

________________________________________________________________________

A face swam into Hermione's vision as she slowly, dazedly opened her eyes. Grey eyes, blonde hair… Draco. 

"I'm not a stubborn wench who deserves what I got." She murmured drowsily. He calmly continued sponging her forehead with a cold cloth, a slight smile on his face.

"Of course you are." 

"Of course I am," Hermione acquiesced, gathering her strength enough to grab his neck and pull him down on top of her like a huge teddy bear. "Life sucks" 

He climbed onto the couch next to her and gathered her into his arms tightly.

"Yep." 

________________________________________________________________________

Ron stomped his foot and rolled his eyes. "Honestly Harry, all people do around here is sleep." He said, frustrated, glaring at the slumbering forms of Draco, Hermione and little Ginny on the floor. 

"Harry?" 

He spun around. Harry was asleep with his head on the table, snoring softly. 

"Argh!" 

________________________________________________________________________

Minerva was engrossed in her book. It was about whatchamacallits. You know the ones. Goblin Rebellions. Binns had left it to her in his will. And she was really, _truly _grateful to him, because she had been meaning to read up on this particular subject for a very long time. She really had. 

"I'm not bored," She said aloud. She was alone in the infirmary, being the one who had sustained the most serious injuries. Poppy was not letting her out until she was completely healed. That was sure to be a while, since she had a good few bandages on and they were all soaked with blood. Minerva had sacrificed the last vial of Wound Closure Potion to Flitwick, seeing as he was smaller and looked more helpless. She tsk-ed under her breath. "Damn me and my morals." She went back to reading. 

"This is a really great book," She repeated it under her breath like a mantra as her head began to hurt. Who-gert the Who had invoked the 52nd Rebellion of 18- what? 

"Oh for the love of Merlin!" She cried in frustration, flinging the book across the room. Something Minerva McGonagall had never done in all of her superior 42 years, I may firmly assure you. 

She took a calming sip of her water and looked out the window, which was boring since it showed nothing but the beautiful Hogwarts grounds anyway, and then scanned the room for something- anything- or interest. Nothing, nothing… ah wait, there. That was interesting, that was…

"WHAT IN THE NAME OF DUMBLEDORE'S BEARD DO YOU THINK YOU ARE DOING IN THIS INFIRMARY?!" She shrieked. 

"Dumbledore's beard has a name? I never would've guessed. I'm here to drop off some medicine for Poppy," Severus said calmly, smiling quasi-pleasantly from where he sat, across the room. Minerva sat up. 

"Here," She commanded, and Snape rolled his eyes but obeyed. 

"What kind of medicine would that be?" She asked through grit teeth.

"Oh, surely nothing that would be of interest to you, Min-" 

"Is it Wound Closure Potion?"

"No, bu-"

"What does it cure? Headaches? Body aches? TMJ? A sore throat? A bad stomach? A sore throat? Fever? Too-"

"Minerva! It's Dreamless Sleep Potion!" Snape said exasperatedly. 

"That will do just fine, thank you," she said, snatching he bottle from him and uncorking it. He grabbed it back before the rim touched her lips. 

"If I give that to you Poppy will murder me!" Minerva glared at him. "You have TMJ?" 

"Yesssssssssssssssss."

"Oh. I didn't know that. Is it very bad?"

"Noooooooooo. But sssstill painful."

"How long have you had it."

"My entire liffffffffffeeeeeeee." 

"I invented the cure for that fifteen years ago, you know."

"Reeeeeeeeaaalllyyyy."

"You can stop the menacing hissing now Minerva, I refuse to give you the potion."

"You're mean, Severus Snape." 

"Am not." 

"Of course you are. How fast can you brew up a batch of that TMJ cure?" 

"Gee, I dunno. Maybe 24 hours. But really, I'm too _mean _to make it for you." Snape sneered before sauntering out of the infirmary, depositing the potion tauntingly on a shelf he knew she couldn't reach. Not that she could get out of bed anyway. 

"Evil!" She yelled half-heartedly after him. She could almost hear his smirk. Could he hear her scowl? 

Dumbledore smiled in that annoyingly knowledgeable way of his. 

"Ah, young love." He said, blue eyes twinkling. 

________________________________________________________________________

"Ok, now connect this wire and- I'm done!" Ron gave himself a congratulatory pat on the back as he looked down the contraption he had just finished making. He flicked a switch and the little red light came on. He held it up to his mouth, took a deep breath, and yelled, 

"WAKE UPPPPPPPPPPPPP!" 

He smiled as his efforts were rewarded by four shrieks and a large bang, then plodded down the stairs, discarding his invention in a closet on the way. Heh heh heh.

________________________________________________________________________

"Stephen, your private Quidditch coach is here, darling!" Narcissa called as she pranced around the kitchen making eggnog. Lucius had liked the first batch so much he had insisted on having another. Stephen ran through the kitchen like lightening, but Narcissa was fast enough to grab him by the back of the shirt as he passed her. 

"And please don't terrorize this one?" She smiled, trying to look stern, which she was not very good at. 

"Yes Cissa." Stephen nodded obediently, still smiling mischievously, and then pecked her on the cheek before continuing out the door. Narcissa watched him fondly for a moment before she spun back to the tray of eggnog, added a green and silver Christmas napkin, and carried it up to Lucius' office. She knocked quickly on the large imposing door which she had always found sort of cute. 

"Come in." She grinned as she felt her stomach flutter slightly with nervousness. She adjusted her knee-length green skirt which swirled around her in a 50's style and tugged on the sleeve of her white blouse. _Missing something…Aha!_ Narcissa thought as she pulled her wand out waved it around before opening the door slowly. She poked her head in. 

"Luscious darling?" Her secret nickname for her husband. She still giggled slightly every time she said it, despite the many years she had done. She wiggled in through the door, which was to heavy for her to open past a certain point, before Lucius could do it for her. It slammed behind her. She watched as Lucius' lips curved into his slow smile. 

"My dear Amicula, you surprise me so often." Lucius loved speaking in Latin- Amicula was his endearment for her, it meant Little Mistress. He occasionally used the French- Petite Maîtresse. He skimmed over her outfit, which was topped off with an endearing green-and-silver Santa hat. She lay the tray on the desk before him. 

"See, I brought you more eggnog," She said eagerly. 

"Thank-you darling." Lucius smiled gratefully and took a sip. He fought valiantly to hide his grimace. Oh dear- Narcissa had forgotten the sugar… again. He lay it down with a strained look. 

"Oh look, you forgot the garnishings!" He said brightly, pointing his wand at the tray. Instantly little holly garnishes appeared on the two glasses. He and Narcissa clinked glasses lightly. 

"To Christmas." Narcissa said brightly, as they both took sips. 

"Mmm, delicious! Thank-you for this wonderful eggnog, Amicula sweet." Lucius said. _Thank God that spell worked! _Narcissa leaned forward for a Christmas kiss. 

Giggling against her husband's lips, she plucked off her Santa hat and plopped it on his head. "Merry Christmas, Luscious." 

________________________________________________________________________

Sigh. So Who-bert the Something travelled across the something Ranges to meet with Who-vis the King of Wherever, and they made a deal which spurred the Goblin Rebellion of 19- some-year-or-other. 

Minerva closed the book and rubbed the hinge of her jaw. _I hate TMJ, and I hate Severus Snape! _She thought resolutely, closing her eyes. Her body was aching not only from her wounds, but from inaction. Damn that insufferable Pomfrey! And that evil, evil- 

"Minerva?" Her eyes flew open and looked straight into the black ones of Severus, who was leaning over her, his face mere inches from hers. 

"Get AWAY!" She cried, startled. She clutched at her racing heart. Those damned black eyes always unnerved her. Snape jumped backwards, then smiled sheepishly. _Have I startled him out of his sneer? _Minerva thought wryly. 

"Sorry. I was just trying to see if you were awake." He said by way of explanation. 

"Why?" Her Scottish accent made her pronounce why 'hwhy', which up until now Severus had found abhorrent. But currently…"Sorry, I forgot you hate the way I say why," She added snidely. 

"Actually, it's very endearing," Snape said, then flinched as two crimson spots appeared on his high, normally pale, cheekbones. 

Nobody had ever, ever, ever, in the entirety of her life, called anything Minerva McGonagall did or said endearing. Her one single suitor, who she had when she was 18, had never complimented her. All he wanted to do was make out at the movies. Minerva had always been a pretty girl- she still was- but she was intimidating, and too busy to think about boys and men. 

"Hwhy… Th-thank-you, Se-Severus…" She stuttered, her entire face engulfed in flames. They both smiled tentatively. There was an awkward silence as they both struggled to stop smiling, revert to their usual selves, and their comforting and constant disgust with each other. Unfortunately, this was impossible in such a short time. The best they could promise themselves was to work on it as soon as they were alone. For now, they would just… 

"I ah… I came, you see, to help you. To get in your bed…"

"Excuse me?" 

Snape turned redder than anybody had every seen him. 

"I mean, not like that! P-Pomfrey sent me to get in your bed…"

"She WHAT?" 

"No! No not like that! I have to get in your bed so you can get off…"

"SEVERUS!"

"GetoffthebedandmovetotheonewithmassagenodulesandIcanhavethisonebecauseIhaveatoothacheandthisisthebedPoppyusesforpatientswhoneedworkdoneonthemandyoudon't!" He finished hurriedly, cringing in fear from the look on Minerva's face. 

"What did you say?"

He repeated what he said at a painstakingly slow pace. 

"Oh right," Minerva said, nodding brusquely. 

"Sorry," They both said at the same time. 

"Really sorry." Snape added, staring at the floor, which was incredibly interesting. 

"Ok. Well, I'll just move then," Minerva said, standing up and walking towards the other bed. She had taken approximately 3 baby shuffles when her knees gave out. Unluckily for him, Snape caught her. 

"Unhand me, Snape!" Minerva said indignantly from her position. Near the floor. 

"But Minerva!" 

"Snape! I do NOT need YOUR help." 

Severus scowled and let go of her arms. She fell to the floor with a satisfying crash. She glared at him for only a moment before she turned and crawled the rest of the way to the bed, which was next to the old one, approximately 4 feet away. Severus glowered at her from his own bed, which he sat sideways on, drumming his fingers aggravatingly on the headboard. 

She was struggling to get into the elevated hospital bed. She couldn't quite pull herself up. Still, she made a valiant effort before she gave up and sat sullenly on the floor. Which was very interesting. 

"Will you stop your incessant drumming, Severus?" She asked sharply, still not looking up. The drumming continued. 

Minerva sighed loudly. 

"Will you help me then?" Severus made a face, got off his bed, picked her up, and placed her on the bed. "I would've been fine on the floor." She muttered, half to herself. 

"Sure. You're welcome," Snape said, slamming a vial of dark purple liquid down onto her bedside table. It was labeled, in clear, Snape-ish printing, **TMJ Cure for Minerva **

"Hwhy Severus! How kind of you!" Minerva said, shocked out of her hostility. 

"The way you say 'hwhy' is abhorrent, Professor McGonagall."

TBC

________________________________________________________________________

AN: I was planning to make this longer but I figured it was long enough as it was. Two chappies in one day! Ok. I'm ready for the praise now, guys. I loved that chapter so much! The part with Yamin and Navrona was one of the most enjoyable things I've ever written, and the parts with Sev and Min were a laugh to concoct. Who would ever picture the two in such situations but me? Am starting work on next chapter immediately. 

God, am having giant heat wave here. Am so hot and humid! Blech! Who ever heard of a freakin heat wave in _Newfoundland_, for the love of Merlin! Hoooooooooottttttttttt. *pants*

Thanks to Reviewers:

Icy Stormz- I missed you! Shoooppppppping…. Ahh. Therapy that's free… well, sort of. 

Shadia A.K.A. (snow_queen)- Yay! I love when people tell me specific things about what they like about my stories! Am so happy you like my hot Draco!

PoPs- The way I wrote in the end, without naming who said everything, was purposeful. Since there are only two people in the scene, it just goes back and forth. Draco, Hermione, Draco, Hermione. The poem at the end of Love is Pain was not a poem, it was a song, a favorite of mine actually. It's called 'Letting Go' by Sozzi. I think I mentioned that a few times in the author's notes, but ah well. Love ya. 

Hollyh19- Thank-you. I love hamsters. *strokes Voldielocks* Mwahahahahahaha! *evil laughter reverberates and hamster squeaks*

EvenstarPrincess- Thank-you. It's hot down here. 

Aviria Faerytiger- I just broke up with my boyfriend and my sole crush lives a good 4 hour flight away from me. *sticks tongue out* 

Dracolover- Thank-you dahling. 

Give Me Stitchez- Did I update fast enough for y'all? Heh heh heh. 

AN: Guys, this is so funny. I went downstairs to get a glass of water, and there was like seven cats sitting on the couch! I'm home alone, and we're having a heat wave, so I had left the downstairs door open (stupid, I know, especially since I live in the middle of the 'hood, if St. John's HAS a 'hood… but it's ho-ot! And it's not really the hood, just the starving artist part of town.), and some of the neighbourhood cats came in! There are about 15 on my street alone, 12 of which are owned by my cat-crazy next door neighbour. I had to carry each one out individually, because they know me and wouldn't budge. Chrissycat was so heavy that I had to shove her out, since I couldn't lift her. And then there were two kittens who I had to chase through the whole house before I threw them out the (downstairs) window to their mother, Elmira. Eep! 


	5. Assorted

Love

Chapter 5 [Assorted]

Last Time on Days of Our Lives:

Sammy and Brandon made out wildly in the hospital while they should have been saving lives until Nurse so-and-so walked in on them… wait… wrong show. Sorry!

Last Time on Luuuuurrrrvvvvveeeee:

"Oh Severus! You're all I've ever wanted! Freak me!" Minerva said, flinging Severus onto the bed and ripping her hair out of the tight school bun passionately. 

"Please Minerva, I don't want you to regret this, I love you enough that I'm willing to wait…" He begged, although he was deeply aroused by her stunning figure and astonishing beauty. 

"No Sevvy- I could never regret this… I love you too much. I can't resist your rock hard muscles, your smooth hair, your wit and charm…" 

"Well… you know…" 

"Let's have one last freak together before I have to marry the evil Giuseppe!"

"If you insist, my lady- I would do anything for you! Even the nasty!" Severus smiled seductively and pulled Minerva towards him…

Damn.

Oops! Wrong again! Sorry!

****

Last Time on _Love_:

"Sure. You're welcome," Snape said, slamming a vial of dark purple liquid down onto her bedside table. It was labeled, in clear, Snape-ish printing, **TMJ Cure for Minerva **

"Hwhy Severus! How kind of you!" Minerva said, shocked out of her hostility. 

"The way you say 'hwhy' is abhorrent, Professor McGonagall."

TBC (Ah. That's better. *evil grin* Mwahahaha. Ha.)

________________________________________________________________________

Hermione's Dream: 

__

"Mmm… It's so nice when we eat ice cream together. I don't have near as much fun eating ice cream with other people. When we get married, we should always have ice cream ALL the time and eat it together…" Hermione cooed to Draco as he spoon-fed her Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough ice cream, wearing only a pair of speedos…

Draco's Dream: 

__

"Yes! Yes yes yes! Move out troops! You can't let those evil blue guys get you! Yeah!" Draco yelled as the little green men positioned themselves, shooting at the little blue ones. "And bring out the tanks guys! Yeah!" He ordered, watching as a little green tank blew up the little blue one "We're Winning!"…

Ginny's Dream: 

__

"Yes Harry, I know you're madly in love with me, but hell, I can't just go out with you because you THINK that. You've ignored me for all these years, and that really hurt, so now… Harry what are you doing…?" Ginny was cut off as Harry kissed her passionately. 

"Please Ginny?" He said, looking deep into her eyes.

"O-ok! Fine! Just as long as we get to snog all the time!"

Harry's Dream:

__

"Yes Ginny, I know you're madly in love with me, but hell, I can't just go out with you because you THINK that. You've ignored me for all these years, and that really hurt, so now… Ginny what are you doing…?" Harry was cut off as Ginny kissed him passionately. 

"Please Harry?" She asked, looking deep into his eyes.

"O-Ok! Fine! Just as long as we get to snog all the time!"

"Wake UPPPPPPPPPPPPP!" Ron's voice boomed, startling them all. 

"Draco!" "Little Green Men!" "Harry!" "Ginny!", four voices yelled at the same time. Harry fell off his chair, Ginny sat straight up and banged her head on the end table of the couch, and Draco rolled off the couch, clutching at Hermione and taking her with him. 

Ron surveyed his handiwork. 

"Heh heh heh." (AN: I _love_ Ron. *snicker*)(and little green army men too)

________________________________________________________________________

Hagrid and Flitwick thanked Madame Rosmerta for the hot Butterbeers and turned to the subject of Hogwarts gossip. Hagrid listened to Filius' account of Trelawney's latest 'Vision' about a whale swallowing Harry Potter, then began his own tidbit. 

"I know. Ne'er would've believed it 'cept I saw it with me own eyes. Severus Snape and Minerva McGonagall snoggin' in the infirmary like a pair of 'ormonal teenagers. Tha's a cold day in 'ell if ever I saw one. If Poppy 'ad've been there they would've been in a clean bit of trouble alright, I'd say, eh Fil?" Hagrid said, smiling and shaking his head as he lifted a shocked Flitwick off the floor. 

"C-Certainly Ha-H-Hagrid!" Flitwick squeaked.

________________________________________________________________________ 

"RONALD WEASLEY COME OUT OF THAT LINEN CLOSET AT ONCE! HIDING WILL DO YOU NO GOOD- NO GOOD!"

________________________________________________________________________

"We have figured out where Yamin's troops are positioned and it has come as a great surprise. While we thought them to be somewhere in Scotland still, they are actually at- Snape! No public displays of affection, please! They are actually at Abhinatha Manor. We had previously dismissed this possibility since- Minerva, honestly, control yourself- since Abhinatha seems too small to hold the entire Dark Army, but through an inside informant, we have learned that there is a charm placed on Abhinatha that makes it seem smaller than it actually is. We shall inform the ministry- quiet Snape. We SHALL inform the Ministry of this and with them plan an attack. You may go back to your sleep now." 

There was a sigh of relief in the room as the staff of Hogwarts filed out of the office yet again, drowsy and in their pajamas. Snape and McGonagall were the last to go. Rosy and smiling, holding hands and wearing matching pajama sets, they had strolled halfway through the door when Dumbledore stopped them. 

"Really, you two… no more overt displays of affection after the students return from holidays, ok? You must set a good example." 

The Professors agreed and wandered out, giggling together over some little joke one or the other had made. 

Dumbledore snorted. 

"I'd forgotten how annoying young love is. I'm going to have to take points from their houses- or something!" He mumbled, rolling his eyes. 

________________________________________________________________________

(AN: Hang on a second, the 'Haunted St. John's' tour just went past my window… again… and I want to listen to the scary stories… back and eew that was gross. But ghosts don't exist right? And you'd be able to tell the difference between ale with a preserved body in it and regular ale right?)(Yeeps! Another tour… one second then… hope my blasting Tchaikovsky doesn't disturb them too much… right then… that was disturbing… over 10% of people buried in St. John's in the 18th century were alive… heh heh, pleasant way to wake up…)

"If I come out… will you hurt me?" Ron asked shakily from the linen closet.

"Of course not."

"Yes you will! I can hear you gritting your teeth out there Gin!" 

"Only because I have a bit of a toothache. It's painful." The closet door inched open. 

"Really? You poor thing! We should get you to a dentist, Mum will have a fit if she…" Ron came out of the closet, looking at Ginny worriedly. More so after he saw the angry glint in her eyes as she lunged at him. 

"I'm taking you down, Weasley!" she yelled, imitating quite well both 'the Rock' and Bill. Hermione yelled up the stairs from the couch. 

"Guys? Is everything ok?"

"Fine Darling," Draco called back, smirking. 

"Are you letting Ginny kill Ron?"

"Ehm… n-no! Of course not! Why would we do that? No!"

"Too bad," She called back. Harry had stopped snickering when he saw Ginny's claws go dangerously near Ron's eyes, and was now trying to pull the scrapping Weasleys apart. 

"Help me you stupid git!" Harry's voice was cut off as he received a boot in the face. 

"Honestly… sleeping on the floor is bad enough… but this…? What would your Mother think? Fighting like common street rats on the floor… and a boy and a girl, no less…" Draco talked on, making wide circular hand gestures for an airy emphasis. "And really, I haven't-" Draco stopped abruptly as he saw Ginny and Ron were paying no attention to him at all, only still rolling around on the floor, and Harry was in the corner holding his nose. Sighing exasperatedly, he grabbed a Weasley- he couldn't tell which one- by the collar and pulled him/her/it into the air, out of the other thing's reach. It lunged wildly at the dangling feet of Weasley number one, who Draco now recognized as Jen… no, Ginny. He stuck his foot out just in time and Weasel went flying past him and into a wall, leaving Draco clutching Weaselette safely. He dumped her into Harry's arms. 

"Better watch that one, mate." He said, nudging Ginny with his foot, who was at this point playing dead. Harry nodded his thanks as Draco trudged downstairs. 

"Who won?" Hermione asked from behind a book. 

"How'd you get that book?"

"I didn't use magic, don't worry. But who won?"

"If you didn't magic than you must have lifted it! Hermione! You aren't supposed to strain yourself in any way! And neither of them won! They were both unconscious when I came down." 

"Oh, then Ginny. She always plays dead, it's her favorite trick."

"Plays dead? Like some kind of animal?"

"It's a Weasley wrestling technique."

"Weasels wrestle? Ugh… let's not go into this."

"You-"

"Anyway. We have more important things to sort out. Such as what is wrong with you and how we can fix it."

"I already told you we can't-"

"Hermione I think-" 

Yells drifted down the stairs. 

"Deepest sleep of my life… needed it… exhausted… butthead…playing dead…evil…telling Mum…stupid Muggle invention…" Ah. Weaselette.

"Wake up… Hermione… discuss…situation…oversleep…stupid bint…Draco Malfoy… floor…disgrace…Weasley…not stupid!" Weasel.

"Let's all…"

"Shut up Harry!" Two Weasel voices in one. 

"all need sleep… not bint… who cares…Draco Malfoy… in front of… girl wrestling boy… not disgrace…giant evil hog…disgrace…IS stupid"

"wrong… sleep… middle of day…chrissakes… me care…stupid evil Malfoy… yes disgrace… pig-sister…Muggle invention…proud of…!" The conversation went on thus for a few moments until there was silence. 

"Harry'll find it hard to get off for double-homicide even if he is the boy-who-lived and such-and-such." Draco said calmly, trying to pull Hermione's book away. 

"Yes, most probably… how could a book strain me?"

"Eye strain, duh?!" Draco smacked his forehead, exasperated, and ran off to hide the book. Hermione pulled another from beneath her pillow. 

________________________________________________________________________

Harry hadn't committed double-homicide after all, Ginny and Ron were friends again (sort of), Draco had every book in the house locked in the attic, and Hermione had a Daily Prophet to appease her (slightly). Everyone was basically content. 

"So now we should get down to discussing all the stuff that's going on-" Draco began his sentence matter-of-factly. He didn't get to finish it. 

Riiiiiiiiiiinnnnnnnnnng. Riiiiinnnnnnnggggggg. 

Ron lunged to the phone and picked it up, smiling and holding up a finger to Draco. His smile faded as he heard who it was.

"Oh Hi Lavi…heh heh, yes I got your Christmas gift… oh, I sent yours…" Harry raised his eyebrows and Ron kicked him. "It must have got lost in the mail… maybe Pigwidgeon lost it… you know how he is… NO! Of course, I would never lie to you, sweetheart… eheh… but… Lavi think this over… don't be rash… there's no need…but… ok then. Ok." He hung up. "Um, she's coming over. She's a bit, er, pissed." Ron said, shrugging helplessly. 

"Ron, I can't believe you didn't get your girlfriend a gift!"

"I just forgot about her you see, as she wasn't around…" Hermione looked disgusted and Ginny kicked him in the shins. Lavender Brown came hurtling through the fire, looking worried. The rest of the gang scrambled for the door, but she held up a hand. 

"You can stay." She said, not looking away from the terrified Ron, who was huddled in a la-Z-boy. 

"Ron honey, is something the matter?"

"bbewwgbfvdyucjhvguyavabuyre mumble…"

"Do you have a problem?"

"iiihhhhh… bnfiurhbguivuhgvbufdvatye."

"With work?"

"Nonotreally njkbfkbrewfbubvuyvb"

"Friends?" 

"gmodinguarbgshvhsgdvnono." Lavender really did look a lot worried about him.

"Then what?"

"Grgngjnogvobw iEep." Ron had been looking at his knees during this entire conversation. He daren't look up. 

"Me?"

"Weee-eeeell nfjkbefhbrtferufkdgvfyu…hesh…" Ron shrugged and grimaced. 

"Did I do something wrong?"

"Gigfidgetmoogglenjdsbfifbierbtwieagyaga… ish."

"Ron, how could you say that! What, do you want to break up with me now?!"

"Well fnjdbnrfuwbefyubvibdsvybsiui friends bwebrywbeuf… Yeah." 

"Ron! You are so horrible!"

"Miffleguffyahyah…" Ron shrugged and nodded in agreement. "Swhy youdunwanmeround. Heh heh."

"I'm leaving! Goodbye Hermione, Ginny! Good luck with those two. If you're lucky they won't turn out like HIM!" Lavi said, bursting into tears and hopping into the fireplace. All eyes were directed to Ron. He blushed and smiled half-heartedly. 

"Thank God...?" He asked hopefully. Oops. He was suddenly assaulted by pillows. 

"Ron that was the most horrible thing I've ever seen…" Ginny yelled, bashing him over the head. 

"Sickening display of wimpiness and your true Weasel ways…" Draco said, making sure Ron's legs were good and battered.

"For once I have to agree with Draco… how could you?" Harry said as he beat away at Ron's midriff. 

"Get 'im good!" Hermione yelled from the couch. After a few (ok, twenty) minutes of defenceless Ron being beaten with pillows, the three finally relented and backed away panting, still glaring at Ron, who looked considerably frightened and ruffled. His shirt was in shreds, his hair was everywhere, and he had curled himself into a protective little ball. 

"How could you do that?" 

"I don't like Lavi so much anymore…" He winced as Ginny was restrained by Draco and Harry. "Well would you rather I led her on?!" There were glances and a few shakes of head. "Exactly. Hmmph." 

"But it was so cruel how you let her break up with HERSELF like that!" ** Hermione said, indignant. "You could've just said right at the start you know, and saved everyone the pain and embarrassment." 

"Weee-eeell muffignosheyopyompyop…" Ron said. 

"Hopeless." Ginny said in disgust. 

"Ok, enough. Now let's get back to our conversation of important, LIFE-ALTERING, matters." Draco said.

"Yeah I guess we'd better." Harry said miserably. 

Ding ling a ding ding ling ling. 

Everyone jumped up at once and ran towards the door, except Hermione, who was held down by Draco. 

"Guys! Open that door and die a horrible death!" 

The latch unclicked. 

"Could it be that none of you want to have this important discussion?" Silence. 

"Hello?" 

"Yes!" 

Four voices in one. Draco scowled. 

"Everyone is against me! Open the damned door, it can be nothing of any good." He walked sullenly out to the kitchen. 

There was commotion at the door and it was swung open. A gust of chilly wind gasped through the house, making everyone shiver. When Harry, Ginny, Draco and Ron opened their eyes, they saw a small black figure with a tiny face sticking out of its hood. They ushered it in and the door slammed behind it as it pulled it's hood down to reveal it was an Asian girl of about their age, with shoulder length layered black hair (wet from melted snow) and brown eyes. She was a bit on the short side… well no awfully on the short side… about 5"2. The three stared at her. She was sort of… what was the word… adorable? Like a little, cute kitten lost in the snow. She was breathing heavily and shivering as she stared back at the three of them uncertainly. She was wearing a long back cloak that was completely soaked through. As none of them seemed prone to do anything, she nervously took it off, half-smiling in fear, and lay it over a chair. She was wearing Muggle clothing- jeans and a red wool sweater, and both were wet. She had a slim, petite figure and her hands, which she was wringing in front of her, had a lovely French manicure. 

"Um… Salut!" She said mock-cheerily, watching the three for the reaction. Ginny was glancing at Draco for a hint as to how to act, Draco was standing stoically with his arms crossed across his chest and a firm non-expression on his face, Harry was blowing his fringe off his face, and Ron was smiling at her vacantly. 

"Hey, I'm still alive guys!" Hermione yelled from the living room, breaking the silence. 

"Hi…" Ginny, Ron and Harry greeted at once. 

"Bonjour, petite dérangement." Draco said menacingly. Oh dear. (Zut!)

________________________________________________________________________

"Oh Amicula, you needn't, really," Lucius said, watching as his wife scurried to get Stephen. "He's only with his Coach, I'm sure he'll be back in a moment." His Santa hat was askew and there was red lipstick on his face. 

"Luscious darling, he's a whole 5 minutes late!" Narcissa was struggling with the door. 

"Yes but anyway… eggnog." He picked up a glass and swirled it appetizingly. 

"Well- but…"

"C'mon Ciss, don't worry." He said pleadingly with a smile that had made girls faint, back in the day. Actually, it still did. 

"Ok!" Narcissa said, shrugging and grinning before skipping back over to him, absent-mindedly hoping she hadn't knocked over the eggnog in her eagerness. Giggle.

TBC

________________________________________________________________________

AN: Sorry this one took a bit longer, but I was away and so. Are you intrigued by the new character? Mwahahaha! Lord Voldemort is still my hamster! I am so damn evil! 

** I actually have seen girls break up with themselves. It's painful. 

Thanks to Reviewers: 

Lady-Saint Veronica- Thanks for consolation about bf. Am sort of icky-feeling about that right now. We do really love each other but seperation of Atlantic Ocean does not make for a good relationship. Damn my family and their gypsy ways. Anyway, at least this way if we're ever on the same continent again we might hook up. Sigh. 

Icy Stormz- Yay! I missed everybody! Yeah, McGonagall's supposed to be 70-ish according to J.K.R. but… poetic license right? You live in Ontario? So cool! I'm going to boarding school up there in September! Where in Ontario do you live? My school's gonna be in Stratford. 

Lola- Eep! Am overcome with happiness at your dazzling review! 

Dracolover- interesting, yes… *shifty eyes* 

TzamZ- darling… I wrote 2 chapters… within one day! :D Thank you for considering me as having the legend status. But I doubt I'm near as well known as Melissa D. or Lissanne or Cassandra Claire… but that's ok, I do feel I have a better relationship with my little following since I respond individually, painstakingly and lovingly to each of your reviews. Mwah dahlings!

Fruitloop-14- now that I'm back from my hols I'll try to update more often, and don't worry about Terrified, I'm working on that- I spent all day researching sexual abuse. 

Mione G- Thanks!

Prancing, when'd you get too lazy to log in?

Ginn- Glad someone approves of my Snape/McGonagall move… I like it myself… :D

Perinnia- yes, all my writing's a bit strange since I'm a bit strange, sorry, I must jump around so much because I adore the way it keeps readers (and me) awake and alert, and I think my dialogue is fine for the purpose it is meant to serve- this is by no means a masterpiece, just insane ramblings in fic-form darling. Fun. Don't worry, am continuing. 

:D You seem lovely, review more often. 

PoPs- I'm pretending that Minerva and Snape went to school at the same time- poetic license. Since everyone has different perceptions of characters, a character can't really be 'out of character', in my opinion. I'm sure all of my characters are out of character to some people (ok, most people) but it's fan fic and it's humor and I'm not too concerned. Love you though doll. 

Shadia- everyone lives in Ontario lately! I'm moving there this September too! To go to boarding school in Stratford. I'm very excited… and nervous! 

Give Me Stitchez- Yay! You can go back to worshipping me! The temple is thataway… AHEM. I mean… not many people know what TMJ is. I wouldn't know if I didn't have the damn pain in the ass thing. I gotta go get some jaw exercises from the Dottore before I go off my nut… the hinge in my jaw is giving me hell. If only I had Snape. Nope I certainly never could resist puppy eyes. (I would never say this to anyone unless they were very close to me and I knew them very well, but it's the BEST burn. I was talking to my best friend Aaron once:

Me: Ari, how can you resist these puppy eyes?

Ari: Well, to tell you the truth I've never particularly liked dogs. 

Me: Ari! Burn! Meanie. You suck.

Ari: Suck what?

Me: *rolls eyes* Arrrrriiiiiiiiii…

Ari: If you're gonna have an argument with ME you have to use proper grammar…

Me: Well then suck *beep* 

Etc, etc, our usual sucking/grammar argument follows, you don't want to know the details. Trust me. Really. Underneath it all, we have a healthy relationship. I think.) 

B4me- thank-you. I try. 

F0xyness39- TMJ is the short for a medical condition I can't remember. It affects the ears and the hinge of the jaw (where the top and bottom sets of teeth meet). I myself have a icky case of it which is only diagnosed by my nurse Mother. It runs in our family. I really need to see a doctor about it and get some drugs (yay! Drugs! j/k) or exercises or whatever. Pain. Aching jaws every time I open or close them, and an occasional shooting pain in my ear… ugh. I want Snapie-poo! Waah! 

Antation- I wouldn't worry about the last review. My hazy memory does not recall it due to Venice Pizzeria stuffed crust-induced bliss. 

Evenstar Princess- nighty-night darlin'. 

Smiley 13- THANK-you! I LOVE when people mention specific things in their reviews, even if it's just the little things. Even though 'good.' is a nice cheery review, it's the ones like these that make me feel appreciated, and like you guys actually pay attention to all the little things I do to make the story. Love you! :D

DragonAce- I'm glad someone thinks that them getting back together was a good idea. I was sort of pissed at myself for doing it. I probably should've drawn out the pain as much as possible, but you know. :D 

AN: My evil henchman Rolf has interwoven a mind-altering pattern into the words of this chapter. You all have new memories and serve me unquestioningly. *snaps fingers* Kill! Get Tropicana and bring it to me! Mwahahahaha! -Stefano Dimira

Wait… wrong story. Hang on.

AN: Readers, Thank y'all for reading Luuuuurrrrvvvvveeeee. I truly hope that you will come back to read more about Sev and Min freakin'. Them doin' the nasty is truly inspiring to me and my girl. If you decide to come back again, I will treat you the fine way you deserve. Readers, I know what you want. In addition, as your author, I know what you need. Let Smoove take you away from reality. Let me tell you how things will proceed if you should decide to come back. 

First, I shall tell you what happened last time on Luuuuurrrrvvvvveeeee, because you deserve to know all that is going on. Then I will tell you how beautiful you look, and whisper romantic things in your ear, such as: 

"You are my cyber-queen" and "I have never seen a nicer cyber-booty." I will then-

CiL: Smoove, get the freak off my fic!

Smoove B: Did you say freak?

CiL: Sorry. Get the hell off my fic.

Smoove: Any of you cyber-chicks want to freak with me?

CiL: Smoove, I'm warning you…

Smoove: YOU want to freak with me?

CiL: No! Get off me you horny freak!

Smoove: Freak? Ok. 

CiL: GET OFF! HELP ME!

Smoove: CiL, you are my ivory queen. I have never seen a creature as fine as you. Ever since the first time I saw you, I have wanted nothing more than to freak you senseless. Girl, I want to do the nasty with you so bad. I cannot believe how beautiful you are. Woman, I want to love you until the end of time. 

CiL: Really? *giggles*

Smoove: I would never lie to you, girl. 

CiL: Ok! 

Smoove: Damn. 

If you don't know who Smoove B. is, go to this addie: 

http://www.theonion.com/onion3830/let_smoove_take_you_away.html

I really, really, really, really, REALLY LOVELOVELOVE the Onion. It is the best ever. May you falleth off your chairseth laughingeth. Readeth Smoove B'seth articles, they are hilariouseth.

CiL: Oh Smoove-y, you're so romantic, and your silk sheets are sooooooooo wonderful.

Smoove: CiL, I would never use any sheets but the finest for you. These are the finest sheets available regionally. If you did not like them I would go to China to get you finer sheets. I would…

Wait… this isn't right either! Damn. 

AN: Ok. Me this time. *shoves Smoove off self* Love you all, REVIEW! That is all. I must go freak with Smoove now. I mean… look at Smoove's sheets with him. That's what I meant. Yeah. *runs into distance* 


	6. Pallor Nex

**Love**

Chapter 6 Pallor Nex

**Last Time** on _Love_:

The gang hangs out just like the old times, awaiting Christmas. Snape and McGonagall hook up! Ron and Lavender break up, a mysterious girl shows up at the Burrow in the storm, and Draco makes her feel less than welcome. But who is this newcomer?

* * *

The girl looked at Draco in shock. The boy spoke French! Even if he didn't seem too pleased with her presence.

"Parlez-vous francais?" She asked, looking at him for confirmation.

"Oui." He said grudgingly, still glaring at her with his arms folded across his chest. He wasn't in the mood for visitors. The girl glanced at the others, who were smiling at her welcomingly. Maybe it was best to speak with them.

"Et tous?" She inquired. They looked at her in confusion, which was answer enough. "Ok, you guys are English." Draco's eyebrows shot up at her American accent.

"Umm yeah, we're British. I'm Ginny Weasley, this is my brother Ron. These are our friends Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy." Ginny stepped forward, holding out a hand. The girl stared at it and took a step back.

"Wait a second- HARRY POTTER! The Weasley family, Draco _Malfoy_?" She asked in astonishment. Harry and Ginny shared a glance.

"Ehm yes, that's us. And you are?" Ginny pressed.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I'm Richelle. Richelle Montmassier. I'm American but I studied at Beauxbatons… Wow. I'm kind of in shock. I've heard about all of you guys in the tabloids so much that actually meeting you is like… wow." More glances were exchanged. People knew who they were?

"So you're a witch, obviously." Draco stated, still looking at Richelle rather menacingly. She blushed.

"Of course. It was stupid of me not to mention it. I was trying to Floo to my friend's house and ended up in the middle of a field a mile or so from here. I guess we're in Britain, right?" She glanced at their faces for confirmation. Draco opened his mouth, but before he could say something snarky, Harry pushed him rather roughly in the shoulder.

"Draco, go check on Hermione." Before turning to smile at Richelle.

"Don't mind him, he's a bit stand-offish at first, but he'll grow on you." He said apologetically. Ginny grabbed the girl's hand.

"You must be freezing. God, we've been so rude. The Floo system should be up in a while, but you can stay here until the storm peters out. Would you like some hot chocolate?" Before Richelle even had a chance to respond, Ginny had grabbed her by the hand and pulled her into the kitchen. Harry and Ron were left in the porch.

"Well she seems nice enough. Poor girl, that must've been rough on her, being lost. Hmm. Let's go see Hermione." Harry started to go into the living room, but noticed Ron was abnormally silent. He turned to find Ron, standing stock still as he stared after Richelle, his mouth slightly open. "Ron? RON!" Harry asked, giving him a light smack on the head.

"Aah! Geroff Harry!" Ron said, snapping to attention and following Harry. "Hey, she knew who I was. Isn't that cool? I wonder what she's read about me. Probably I get written about a lot. D'you think, Harry? She's kind of pretty, isn't she Harry? Isn't she?" Ron was jogging lightly, trying to get Harry's attention. Finally Harry stopped walking and looked at him.

"Yes Ron, she is pretty. But we have serious issues right now. We need to concentrate on getting Hermione better, because there is something seriously wrong with her." Ron sobered, and the two carried on into where Draco and Hermione were, on the couch beside the fire.

* * *

Hermione had stopped bleeding, and her scars had faded into the faintly glowing white lines once again. But she was still slowly weakening, and now she was plagued with a terrible headache.

Ginny and Richelle were in the kitchen, silent except for Ginny's occasional nervous twitter. She was making hot chocolate, already haven given Richelle a mug, but making more for everybody else.

"So… you guys are here for Christmas. And your parents are away?" Richelle asked. Ginny nodded.

"That's right."

"My parents would never leave me alone with my boyfriend." Richelle said, smiling. Ginny shrugged.

"Well, they know Hermione and Draco _are _getting married, so they just have to accept that, right?" She said casually.

"WHAT? I meant you and Harry! And I thought Hermione Granger was with Ronald Weasley… is she here as well?" Richelle sat forward eagerly. Ginny had turned bright red.

"Oh… is that what the tabloids say?" Ginny giggled timidly. "Hermione changed her last name to Richardson by the way. Ron and Hermione- that's absurd. Hermione is like our sister. Besides the fact that she's engaged to Draco."

"I thought Draco hated all of you, and was a Death Eater or something. And what about Harry, is he like a brother to you as well?"

"Draco used to be our "enemy" I suppose, but we were only children then. He _certainly_ isn't a Death Eater; he's on the light side of course. And Harry… well Mum looks at him like a son, and he's definitely a brother to Ron. He's part of the family too." Ginny smiled distractedly at Richelle, pouring the hot chocolate into mugs.

"So what you're basically saying, although you're trying to hide it, is that you DEFINITELY do not consider him a brother… because that would be incestuous?" Richelle asked, seeing through the younger girl's speech and laughing. Ginny threw a dishcloth at her playfully, turning bright red and smiling embarrassedly. "And what about Ron, he doesn't have anyone special in his life?" Richelle continued, taking pity.

"Aha! I thought I saw you looking at him in the porch! He just finished with his poor girlfriend actually. I must warn you, he seems cute and harmless, but really he's a heartbreaker." Ginny shook a finger at Richelle, who simply raised an eyebrow. At that moment the voice of the boy they were discussing called out to them.

"OY! How long does it take to make a cup of hot chocolate? Or should I suspect you two of cooking something else up?" He said, laughing. Ginny and Richelle exchanged a mischievous glance before gathering up all the mugs and hurrying into the other room. After distributing the mugs, Ginny squeezed herself in next to Draco on the couch. Hermione was at the other end, cuddled into a huge comforter and stretched comfortably so that her feet were in Draco's lap. Harry was in a comfy chair by the fire and Ron was curled up in the mini-couch, which seated two. Richelle looked around nervously at the comfortable scene.

"Hi, I'm Richelle" She said politely, offering her hand to Hermione. Hermione struggled to get her arm out from underneath the comforter, and offered her hand to the girl. They shook, Richelle surprised by the weak grasp of the headstrong woman she had heard so much about.

"I'm Hermione."

"I know… I've heard lots about you." Richelle said, smiling. She looked around and, seeing no other place, sat nervously on the edge of the chair Ron was occupying. He scooted over a bit, flushing and muttered,

"Oh sorry, I can sit somewhere else." Richelle shook her head and indicated for him to stay. There was a moment of slight silence. The boys were looking at each other and Hermione, trying to decide what to say. Finally Hermione got fed up with the situation.

"Ok, Richelle. Here's the deal. You've come at a really odd time, and we're very happy to have you, but there are some important things we have to discuss. So do you mind if we just consult about a few things? Feel free to comment." Richelle nodded simply, liking the girl's straightforwardness. She could sense from her tired eyes that something of grave import was afoot. Hermione smiled appreciatively and then looked at Draco, raising her eyebrows as if to say 'Go ahead then.' He took a deep breath and looked into the fire as he spoke.

"Alright. Hermione, obviously, is very ill. She's had a lot of blood loss, and now she's got this terrible headache. She's been like this since she came back from Abhinatha. At first we thought it was just her attitude that had changed," Here he glanced at her, and she winced. He placed a comforting hand on her leg. "Anyway, as much as we all have eyes, she is wasting away before them."

"And this is not a physical ailment." Ginny said, shaking her head. "There is no illness that could make anyone as sick as you've been. You were so cold last night I thought you were done for, love." She said, looking at Hermione worriedly.

"Well what else could it be? Merlin, this is terrible. And that note… do you still have it?" Ron sat forward, his face red, but this time with anger. Hermione handed him the note. "'Come and be spared your destiny. Come and be powerful.' So obviously that whore Yamin has something to do with all this. If he hurts you anymore I will kill him and-"

"Ron, calm down." Harry interjected before Ron actually got on his broom and flew to Abhinatha. "We all feel the same about Yamin, Abhinatha, and Hermione."

"So he's put some kind of spell over me. Dark magic- it must be. But I know so many spells and I've never heard of one like this. It's like Avada Kevadra in slow motion!" Draco stood up abruptly, beginning to pace around the room.

"Don't say that Hermione, we don't know what it is."

"Draco, you have to accept that unless I go to Abhinatha or unless I find a cure, I know this is going to kill me! And I'm not going to Abhinatha, so don't even start with that again." The entire room was tense as they waited for Draco's reaction.

"You know I can't accept that Hermione. I'm going to marry you. We're going to have our whole lives together. And some Voldemort-wannabe is NOT going to take that away from me." He finally exploded.

"This isn't a game. You can't just go beat this guy up and that will be the end of it. It's not like my dad, or Voldemort either. Yamin is something different. Even Voldemort had something human in him; his weakness was his passion for revenge. But Yamin… I've been with him; I'm the only one in this room who has. And he is definitely not human, or weak." Hermione was starting to fade, and Ginny moved closer to her, letting her lean on her healthy body. There was a long silence. Draco and Hermione were staring at each other, the fight continuing in their eyes. Ron had buried his head in hands, and Ginny's eyes were filled with tears. Harry looked around him at all the faces of his friends, his family. Something had to be done. If only he knew what.

"I know what's wrong." Richelle's voice was unexpected and clear, and everyone's attention turned to her immediately. "I'm not sure, but what's happening to Hermione is almost exactly what happened to my mother. We never found out what it was until after… after she died." Her voice faltered, but she continued. "My grandfather Ronan was the one who figured it out- he had been away, he didn't know she was ill. He was heartbroken. She was his only child."

"Wait a second, Ronan? Ronan Dumbledore?" Hermione asked, her head snapping up. Richelle nodded at her.

"He's my grandfather. He hardly ever talks to us anymore though. He always blamed my father for what happened. My mother, Rachel, was only in her twenties when she moved to the States. She didn't know anyone there, and she fell in with a crowd of wizards who were practicing illegal dark magic. There was one man in particular that she was with a lot, but then there was some altercation, I believe over something he had done that my mother disapproved of, and she severed all her ties with him and his friends. After that she met my father, Philippe, who had recently arrived from France, and they fell in love and got married. But years later she ran into the man again, and they had some kind of private discussion. She stormed away from him and when she got home she was bleeding from a scar she had had since she was a child. After that she just got worse and worse. I was only 6 at the time."

"I'm so sorry." Harry said, speaking for the entire group. Richelle smiled wanly.

"Thanks."

"Do you mind me asking, what was the name of the man that your mother was involved with? The dark wizard?"

"Silas Abnath… That's why I thought of it… you guys were talking about some place called Abhinatha?" The group exchanged glances.

"We have to run a dark magic test on you Hermione." Draco was the first to speak. Ginny ran upstairs to get her parent's biggest spell book and before long they were all arranged around Hermione, who looked smaller than ever.

Ginny placed the book on the floor, flipping through it anxiously.

"Detection… Dark magic… here's one!" She handed the book up to Draco, who read over the words of the spell a few times before he muttered them under his breath, pointing his wand at Hermione with a flick of the wrist. All of a sudden the room was unbearably hot, and the air around Hermione was rapidly changing colours, and seemingly vibrating. All of a sudden the colours were slowing, until they settled into a shade of orange. Hermione looked sick, looking around her as she remembered the orange skies at Abhinatha that she had seen when she was with Yamin. Golden writing was beginning to uncurl above her head, and they all stared at it transfixed until the room went cold for a moment, and everything returned to normal. They looked into each other's pale faces and knew.

_Pallor Nex.

* * *

_

Dumbledore was striding around his office purposefully as he transcribed letters to his enchanted quill, which was taking everything down hurriedly. There was a knock at the door, and Dumbledore held up a hand to stop the quill before opening the door.

"Come in Severus, Minerva, Hagrid." The three filed in grimly and sat down. Before Dumbledore had a chance to close the door, two more familiar faces appeared. Ronan and Aberford came in and stood on opposite sides of the room.

"How did you two get here through the storm?" Enquired Albus.

"We don't have time to explain, Albus, we think-" Aberford was cut off by an angry boom from Ronan.

"This Yamin man. He's going to attack again. And besides that, there's something fishy going on here. There are all these odd coincidences; I don't like it at all. Albus… I think that this dark army may be related to the cult that Rachel was involved in when she first went to America. They use the same attack plans and spells. They attacked on the exact date that those people attacked the ministry of the US, albeit unsuccessfully. And the anniversary of Rachel's death is in a week… you've contacted me about Hermione and their symptoms are so alike I can't help but-"

"Ronan, calm down. Here, have some tea. We have made the same connections you have. Currently Ms. Richardson is at the Burrow, but she will be returning here to prepare for the students the day after Christmas, along with Mr. Malfoy. Assuming she has the strength. What we must begin doing now is preparing for the war." Albus finished his spiel, turning and looking into the fire.

* * *

"**Pallor Nex- **This enchantment is very old. The name is Latin for Fading Death, or Pale Death. Only the powerful demon Abas Saevio can perform it. This demon was a plague upon the Ancient Romans. He was created when Zeus and Hera had an argument over Zeus' famed philandering, and he threw a lightening bolt, which contained all of his anger, to the earth. It struck a young Roman, Abas, who died. But in his death the demon was created, inhabiting his body. Saevio is made up of rage, and his purpose is destruction. Like Zeus, his weakness is women. He was very powerful when he first was created, and for centuries he inhabited wizard after wizard, using them to cause death everywhere he went. But after he lost a battle with a powerful wizard in the 3rd century, he grew weak and eventually disappeared from history. Neither Abas Saevio, nor this infamous spell which wreaks havoc on the women who deny him, has been recorded since the 5th century.

The spell is, as far as we know, incurable. It slowly kills the person it is cast on, by letting all their nutrients waste away, with pain in the form of aches all over their body, until they become a shadow of their former selves, and eventually die. It can also cause former wounds on their bodies to open up and bleed. The only way to save these female victims is for them to return to Saevio and beg for his forgiveness. Otherwise, after they die, their souls will be trapped in an amulet he wears, which increases his power." Ginny's voice was shaky as she finished reading from the Encyclopaedia of Spells, Curses and Charms.

The future looked very grim. The room was silent and pensive as the young adults were all lost in their own thoughts.

TBC


End file.
